I'll cover you
by L'esprit
Summary: "Blaine Anderson, I need you to teach my son how to talk again." Burt is desperate, and Blaine can't say no. He peers around his shoulder and looks into those huge bluegreygreen eyes, and he'd never be able to say no. He needs Kurt to be okay again.
1. Chapter 1

_This began as a oneshot. I knew it would be a long one, but that was my intent. Then it was ten pages…then twenty, and I'm not even halfway done. There was just so much more that needed to be said than I originally thought. Needless to say, it's now a multi-chapter. This is also completely opposite from my other story. Like, completely polar opposite._

_Regardless, I hope you enjoy._

_**Warning: **__This does center around main character rape. There isn't an in-depth description, but there will be some description in later chapters. _

It's 3:23 am when Kurt finally stumbles into his house. There's tears tracking his cheeks, mixing readily with the blood on his face and lip, a small gash on his forehead dripping crimson. He's limping. His eyes are dull. The black and blue is already blossoming on his arms, face, areas unseen as they are shielded by a thin layer of clothing. His shirt is torn, hanging off of one shoulder. There's blood (so much blood) staining his white jeans.

The tears won't stop. He tries making them, but they won't stay in.

It's the sound of his broken body collapsing to the floor that arouses Finn from his nap on the couch. He'd promised Burt he'd wait up for him. As he sees his brother's body lying bleeding, bruising, breaking the emotions come all at once. He swallows his red fury (all he sees is red and it's not just blood), yells to his parents. He's taking Kurt in his arms and choking back tears when he hears a gasp paired with heavy breathing, and all he smells is fear.

His brother's blood is staining his t-shirt as he holds him close in the car, but he doesn't care. He needs Kurt to just wake up.

The waiting room is white. It reeks of bleach trying to cover up death. The walls are made of tears and stained with memories thrown against it as the fear creeps in. No one in this room knows a thing, and they're all preparing for the worst.

Finn smells of blood.

* * *

><p>It's Burt who finally has the insight to call Blaine. Even though it's 4:43 am, he's not surprised when it's answered on the second ring.<p>

"Mr. Hummel?"

"Hey, kid." He's exhausted. Tear coated throat because he's not as strong as he pretends he is.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"I…" He attempts to speak, but it doesn't work. He can't say it, "Kid, you're gonna want to come to Lima General Hospital."

"Give me 15 minutes."

Instead of pointing out that it takes at least an hour and a half, Burt hangs up.

* * *

><p>Finn is contemplating telling New Directions that he's at a hospital at 5 in the morning because his brother is on the edge of life and death, but all he can do is stare. At his phone. The walls. Thumb hovering over the call button, trying so hard to breathe.<p>

The person he finally calls is unexpected.

* * *

><p>Burt isn't sure how he did it, but somehow, 25 minutes later, Blaine Anderson is rushing through the doors, curly hair flying everywhere, dressed in sweat pants, two different Chuck Taylors, and the hoodie Kurt bought him for his birthday. He is closely followed by a one Noah Puckerman who goes straight to Finn and lets him cry.<p>

Blaine's hazel eyes are terrified, bloodshot, mildly swollen.

Burt takes a deep breath.

"Kurt went out with some friends last night. He told me he'd be home by midnight. I waited up until one, then Finn took over. Next thing I know, Finn's yelling and then I'm seeing him holding my son in his arms as he's bleeding and bruised and…he wasn't conscious when we brought him here. He had cuts and stab wounds that needed immediate surgery. They…they don't know whether or not he'll be okay."

He watches his son's ex-boyfriend sink to his knees. There's those damn tears again. Salty and bitter.

Burt sits next to him, wraps an arm around his shoulders, and they cry together. Because neither one of them cares about being strong or boundaries or distance. The man Blaine has sworn to marry and the boy Burt has protected since the day he was born is about to die, and they don't know what they're going to do.

* * *

><p>Carole comes back from getting coffee to Blaine and Burt sitting next to one another in plastic chairs in silence and Finn and Puck speaking in soft whispers. Blaine is staring at the wall. Burt gets up and holds her close to him. She feels that he's about to crumble to pieces, so she holds him back, whispering love and comfort into his ear and hoping it'll be of some worth.<p>

The coffee's getting cold.

* * *

><p>3 hours have slid by.<p>

"I never stopped loving him. Not for a second." Blaine finally croaks. It's the first words he has spoken since arriving.

"I know, kid. I know."

Blaine doesn't say he's afraid Kurt never will.

* * *

><p>In total, between five cell phones, 39 calls have been ignored. The doctors won't talk and no one knows how to feel and Blaine just needs to kiss him again.<p>

* * *

><p>It is 9:04 am when the doctor comes into the room. She looks exhausted.<p>

"Family of Kurt Hummel?" She has a doctor voice, and Blaine finally responds. He stands between Puck and Finn, leaning gently on Finn.

"Yeah, that's us." Burt speaks.

"The good news is that physically, Kurt is going to be okay. His wounds were severe and he suffered from a nearly fatal amount of blood loss, but thanks to the surgery and blood transfusions, we were able to bring him back."

A sigh of relief.

Blaine isn't so convinced.

"Physically?"

Five pairs of eyes stare at him.

"You said that physically, he's going to be fine. What does that mean?"

The doctor takes in a sharp breath.

"Mr. Hummel, were you aware when you brought in your son that…" She sighs, "That he'd been raped?"

Blaine's fists clench, his jaw sets, and he feels like he has been punched in the gut. His blood is ice. He sees nothing but red.

"Raped?"

"Yes. We found severe bruising in the shape of hands on your son's upper thighs, evidence of semen, and-"

"I don't need to know the details." Burt mumbles. He looks like he's going to be sick. Carole is supporting him. Doctor nods.

"He's still under the effects of anesthesia and intense pain killers, so he can't make a statement, but we will have to contact the authorities. If, of course, you want to press char-"

"We're pressing charges." Monotone.

"Right. We will get that taken care of. Since they can't talk to Kurt, they'll want to talk to all of you. Be prepared." And she walks away.

Blaine punches a hole in the wall.

Part of Burt is relieved to see him acting so unlike the dapper, put together Blaine Anderson he always is. The other part knows the kid is blaming himself.

Puck places a hand on his shoulder. Blaine turns to him, shaking, eyes blazing with unshed tears. He leads him in the direction of the bathroom.

Burt collapses into a plastic chair.

The word won't leave his mind.

* * *

><p>"Punching holes in walls doesn't help." He hands Blaine a wet paper towel which he gingerly presses onto his raw knuckles.<p>

"Sure as hell feels like it does."

Puck chuckles, "I'll give you that. It helps right now. But all you're going to have tomorrow is throbbing pain and more anger than you started with. Trust me, I know."

"Aren't you supposed to be some big tough guy? I'm surprised you don't want to find the sick, disgusting low life who did this and bash his head in as much as I do." Blaine spits out, eyeing him. Puck doesn't even flinch.

"If you think I don't want to tear him limb from limb, you are sorely mistaken. Nobody messes with my boy and gets away with it. But I know Kurt. And even though I wanted to break your face in when I heard that you dumped him," Blaine _does_ flinch, "I know he still loves you. And you still love him or else you wouldn't be here. I also know that Kurt doesn't need us hunting down some douche bag and committing a capital one felony right now. He needs us here, waiting for him when he wakes up, especially you. So push your anger down and focus on Kurt. He needs you."

Blaine nods with a sigh. He stands up from his sitting position on the floor and tosses the paper towel in the trash.

"Anderson?"

"Hmm?"

"You might want to get that wrapped in some bandages or something. If you don't, it'll be a whole lot worse tomorrow."

"Okay. Thanks, Noah."

He starts to leave.

"One more thing, hobbit. If you ever break his heart again, I won't wait to hunt you down and actually beat your face in, then proceed to bury you. Where you will never be found. Understood?"

A gulp, "Yeah."

"Good. Go get that taken care of."

He does.

* * *

><p>"What happened?"<p>

He doesn't answer.

She doesn't push.

"Whoever they are, I'm sure they'll be okay."

* * *

><p>"Finn, man. When are you plannin' on tellin' everyone else?" Puck is at his side again. Because there's that unspoken promise of <em>best friends <em>between them that will never die.

Finn shrugs.

"Not yet. Not until he heals a bit. I just can't bring myself to do it."

Puck nods.

"Okay."

* * *

><p>It's times like these when Burt is eternally grateful for Carole. If he was alone with his son in a hospital bed, recovering from rape, he's not sure what he would do. She's wrapped in his arms, and he's breathing in the scent he is quickly associating with home. She's quiet, breathing slowly, keeping herself together surprisingly well.<p>

"Thank you." He whispers into her hair.

"He's my son, too."

* * *

><p>With 21 voicemails from Wes, 13 from David, 5 from his mother, and 56 unread text messages, Blaine suddenly hates technology. He calls Wes.<p>

"Dude! Where are you? I've been worried sick! You've been officially MIA for 8 and a half hours! Jeff told me you ran out of your dorm room this morning at 4:30 like the place was on fire, and I have called you at least 40 times with no answer! Do you have-?"

"Kurt is in the hospital."

Wes is silent.

"We'll be there in an hour."

"No, Wes. You don't need to come here. He's going to be okay, he just…" He starts to choke up. He pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Blaine. We are your best friends. We're coming. Which hospital?"

Blaine considers arguing, but he can't deny that he needs his best friends right now.

"Lima General Hospital."

"Okay, man. We'll be there soon."

A click.

He falls into a chair with his face in his hands.

No. What he needs is Kurt.

* * *

><p>When he wanders back to the original room, Burt isn't there.<p>

"He went to see Kurt, honey." Carole supplies.

"Is he awake?" Hope.

"Kind of. He's in and out. Has been for about a half hour." She explains. He nods and flops into a chair. He heaves a sigh, running a hand down the length of his face.

"Blaine, honey? Why don't you get some sleep? You look ready to fall over at any second."

He shakes his head.

"I…I can't."

She understands.

* * *

><p>20 minutes pass. Burt enters with tears in his eyes.<p>

"Blaine? Why don't you go on." He says. Blaine looks up.

"Are you sure that's okay?"

"Yeah, kid. Go on."

But before he can leave, Burt catches him in a bear hug, the kind he always gives Kurt.

"Thank you, Blaine. For being here for Kurt. You're the best thing that's ever happened to my son."

He doesn't know what to say, so he just nods and goes to Kurt.

* * *

><p>"Finn?"<p>

"Wes? David? What are you guys doing here?" Finn is always confused.

"Blaine told us that Kurt's in the hospital. Which led us to the conclusion that he's about 5 seconds away from a total mental breakdown." Wes says.

"When it comes to Kurt…he doesn't handle things well." David continues.

"Well, considering the hole he put in the wall about an hour ago, I'd say he's there." Puck responds, gesturing towards the gaping hole.

"It's worse than we thought. Where is he?"

"He went to see Kurt. I think you guys should just stay here and wait for him. He needs this." Finn says, glancing towards the doors. As he does, his phone vibrates in his pocket.

'_We're meeting with the police. Stay put so we can find you. I love you.' _

Finn reads the text message from his mom in his mind and sighs.

This day blows.


	2. Chapter 2

_I should be shot for how long this has taken. Truly, I apologize profusely. I hope you enjoy this next chapter._

_**Warning: **__This does center around main character rape. There isn't an in-depth description, but there will be some description in later chapters._

* * *

><p>The room is whiter than the waiting room. Kurt would hate it. There's wires connecting his body to machines, beeps and noises filling the room, yet it's eerily silent. He takes tentative steps to the bedside and sits in the chair. He can imagine Burt Hummel sitting here, trying to reach his fading son, trying to cope with all the thoughts in his head about…about-<p>

Blaine grabs the hand resting on the bed in his own. He brings it to his lips briefly, reveling in how close he finally is to him. Because even through the bruising and split lip and bandages, Kurt Hummel looks like an angel. He always does.

The tears come then. Dripping slowly from hazel eyes. Because someone stole something invaluable from his Kurt. Someone broke him, beat him, left him for dead, and is just wandering around. And he's scared. Blaine is scared, terrified even because what if this guy gets away with it? What if it's Blaine's fault? What if he could have prevented this? He lays his forehead on their enclosed hands and sobs. Regret is pouring through his veins and onto hospital sheets and pale hands and he just needs his Kurt back. There's a million memories flipping through his mind at once. Every single one is happy and love and he needs it back.

"I'm so sorry."

A hand squeezes his.

Through tears, he sees the eyes he fell in love with, and a smile forms on his lips though the tears haven't stopped.

"Kurt, baby, I am so sorry. If I wasn't such an idiot…this is all my fault, and I can't- I won't…I'm just so sorry."

Kurt cocks his head to the side and shakes it slightly, squeezing Blaine's hand again.

"I love you, okay? I never stopped. I am incapable of stopping because you are my entire world. I made the biggest mistake by leaving you. I was just so scared. I was scared that you'd leave like everyone else, that you'd stop loving me if you moved back to McKinley, but I can't be without you anymore. I love you too much, Kurt. I just can't be me when I don't have you. It doesn't work."

Kurt's eyes soften. Gently, he tugs Blaine forward and places an entirely delicate kiss on his forehead. Blaine's eyes close, and he smiles softly.

It's silent in the room now. Silent but for machines and breathing. He looks up at Kurt.

"Why aren't you talking?"

Kurt looks back.

"Is it your throat? Does it just hurt to talk?"

Kurt shakes his head slightly, eyes trained on the twisting hands in his lap. Blaine reaches out to lift his chin, but Kurt flinches away, tears welling up in his eyes.

And suddenly, Blaine understands.

He doesn't say a single word, only holds on to Kurt's hand tighter, and Kurt is grateful. Because hearing the words out loud would simply be too much. They sit in the corner of the room, a reminder that the rape victim is simply incapable of just speaking.

Kurt pulls Blaine up and motions for him to sit next to him on the bed. He does so, immediately wrapping Kurt in his arms. The fragile, broken boy finally releases the sobs he held in for doctors and his father. He buries his head into the familiar hoodie that smells enough like Blaine to make him feel comfort. He lets himself sob wet, nasty tears on his shoulder because he hurts and because he doesn't have to pretend for Blaine. He inhales every bit of that smell, that moment, as he can because when he closes his eyes, all he sees is his face looming over him in the darkness.

* * *

><p>"I don't get it. He flinched every time I got close. And now Blaine's sitting next to him on that tiny bed. What did this guy do to my son?" Burt mumbles, watching carefully from the window. Finn is standing next to him.<p>

"Blaine and Kurt have something different from anybody else I've ever seen. They're best friends and they're in love, and I think Kurt feels like Blaine is all he has sometimes. He needs him more than any of us can understand. Those two are meant to be together. I see it every day." He whispers. He can't bring himself to ruin the moment.

Burt huffs.

* * *

><p>They fall asleep together on that tiny bed, and after vehement threats from Burt and Puck and extra effort from Blaine's DA mother (Wes and David finally answered Blaine's phone for him), the hospital lets them sleep.<p>

* * *

><p>When Evelyn Anderson arrives at Lima General Hospital, it is 7:03 pm. Her 9-year-old daughter is at a friend's, and her biggest case yet closed a mere hour and a half ago. Her black, stiletto Christian Louboutins click clack on the tile of the hospital floor. Her black blazer, black pencil skirt, and small touch of a white button down shirt are the picture of a perfectly put together lawyer, but her hair is tied back in a disaster of a bun, and her make up is running. She slams her briefcase on a plastic chair.<p>

"This bastard is going to jail for the rest of his miserable life. All I need is a name, and he's gone."

She's furious because Wes has a big mouth.

Carole and Burt both stand. Burt's the one who steps forward to shake her hand, and the tears well up in her eyes.

"Burt, I love Kurt like my own son. He is the most wonderful thing to ever happen in Blaine's life. The thought of this kind of brutality happening to him sickens me. I want you to know that I personally be taking on his case. This…this _animal_ is not going to get away with it." She's more determined than she's ever been.

He nods, the smallest of smiles on his lips. Because this 5'7" woman (only in 6 inch heels) is going to get justice for his son regardless of the cost, and he knows it. Carole pulls her in for a hug.

"Thank you. So much."

Evelyn hugs her back and nods.

"There's nothing to thank me for."

She doesn't tell anyone that she vomited when Wes told her what happened.

* * *

><p>Finn has never liked the police. Well, he's never seen them in person, but he's seen them on all those cop shows, and he doesn't like them. They make him uncomfortable. All he wants is to get out of this room and wait for Wes, David, and Puck to get back with the burgers. He's starving.<p>

"Mr. Hudson?" asks Cop Number One. She's a short blonde (way too pretty to be a cop), and she's been pretending to care since the second they got into this room.

"Hummel-Hudson."

"Excuse me?"

"That's my name. Finn Hummel-Hudson."

"Okay then, Mr. Hummel-Hudson. Can you tell me what happened this morning?"

He hesitates. He has only told Puck what happened, and then Puck told Wes and David. His mouth feels dry.

"I don't think so."

"Why not?" Cop Number Two. He's big, burly, and intimidating. Cop Number One shoots him a look.

"Why can't you tell us, Finn?"

"Because talking about it makes me feel sick."

They're eyeing his bloodstained shirt. He realizes he forgot to tell Puck to get him a new on.

"Can you at least try?"

"Uhm…I guess so."

"Okay, just start form the beginning, okay?" She reminds him of Quinn.

"Yeah. Uhm, Kurt went out with Mercedes, Rachel, and Quinn last night. Those are some girls who go to our school. He was always closer with the girls than with the boys. Related to them more, I guess. Anyway. He told our dad he'd be back by one or something. He stayed up for a while, b ut I saw he was getting tired, so I told him I'd wait up. I was more used to being awake that late. Dad went to bed at like…12:30, maybe? Then I must've fallen sleep on the couch while watching TV because the next thing I know, I'm waking up to this big thud sound. I got up and went into the front hallway, and…" He can't breathe very well. He clearly sees his brother's body lying on the ground, the front door hanging open. It was cold. Kurt wasn't awake, he didn't know if he was even breathing, actually. He was just lying there and Finn was scared and…and he's crying again. He furiously wipes away the tears.

"It's okay, honey. Just take your time."

He nods and forces himself to breathe.

"And I saw my brother. He must have passed out. The door was open. He was bleeding everywhere. His face was all bruised, his head was bleeding. His shirt was ripped and inside out. His pants were…I thought they were white when he left, but I couldn't tell if there were spots of white or spots of red anymore. There was so much blood I just…I tried to shake him awake, but he wasn't moving, so I called for my mom and dad and picked him up. We got in the car, brought him here, and they took him from me."

"What time was it when your brother came home, son?" Cop Number Two seemed to have softened up a bit after hearing his story.

"Uhm…like, three thirty in the morning." He wipes his eyes again.

"Can you tell us about Kurt, Finn?"

He smiles.

"Kurt is awesome. I mean, before we were brothers, I was kind of a jerk to him. He had a cursh on me, and I thought it was totally weird, so we didn't get along well. He just was never afraid of being himself, you know? He knew who he was, and he wasn't going to hide that for anyone. He has a killer singing voice. He can dance way better than anyone else in Glee Club, besides maybe Brittany and Mike. He really cares about everyone, too. He wants to see people happy. He's the bravest guy I know, considering all the crap he puts up with."

"What do you mean by that?" Cop Number Two again.

"Kurt was bullied at school all the time. I mean, all of us in Glee club were bullied, but for us it was mostly getting slushees in the face. Kurt…he was always shoved into lockers, pushed around. Some guy even threatened to kill him."

"A one…Dave Karofsky?" He'd looked at a note in his tiny little notepad, then expectantly at Finn.

"Yeah."

"Okay, go on."

"That's when Kurt transferred to Dalton. It's this private school with a no bullying policy. He met Blaine there when he went to spy on them since we were going to compete against them at Sectionals, and they got really close. Kurt and my parents both thought it'd be best, especially after talking to Blaine about it. So he went there for a long time. But 2 months ago, he came back to McKinley."

"Did he ever tell you why?"

"He just didn't want to run anymore, and he missed us."

"That all?"

"Yeah. That's all he told me."

"And how were things when he started back up at McKinley? Was the bullying still bad?"

"Oh yeah. We tried to protect him. The guys in Glee club that is, but we couldn't always be there." He looked more guilty than anything.

"Can you tell us their names, please? Just for the record." Cop Number One smiles.

"Yeah, sure. Uhm, myself. Noah Puckerman, Mike Chang, Sam Evans, Artie Abrahams, even though he couldn't do a whole lot from a wheelchair. Santana Lopez helped a lot, too, because she's terrifying. Even Mr. Schuester, oh, uh, William Schuester, I think, did all he could do. And Miss- Sue Sylvester scared people off in the hallways a lot when they tried to get on Kurt's case. But there were still some times when he was alone, and that's usually when they'd gang up on him."

"Who's they?"

Finn scoffs. "Every single guy on the football team, minus the ones on Glee club, too. They'd shove him into walls, call him horrible names. Kurt handled it ridiculously well…until he and Blaine broke up."

"Blaine Anderson? The one who attends Dalton Academy, yes?"

"Yeah. They started dating just two or three months after Kurt started going to Dalton. They really love each other." His eyes are light with a fondness those detectives don't quite understand.

"You use that in the present tense." Cop Number Two. He would.

"Well, yeah. Blaine broke up with him. My guess is that he was afraid Kurt would stop loving him or something when they were so far away from each other all the time. I tried talking to him about it, but he wouldn't have it. Kurt locked himself in his room for days because they were best friends, and so not only did he lose his boyfriend, but he lost the only person he really talked to about things. The bullying was harder after that. He didn't really show it, but I could tell. Anyway, Blaine wouldn't have come running here at 5 in the morning if he didn't still love him. And Kurt definitely never stopped either."

"How do you know?"

Finn remembers, suddenly, every moment he saw Blaine and Kurt together. A smile lights up his face as he watches, in his mind, their relationship unfold all over again. He hopes they've worked things out.

"He never deleted his number, never changed the background on his laptop. He still wore Blaine's old hoodie all the time and that bracelet he bought him for his birthday. It's this black leather bracelet with 'courage' inscribed on the inside. It's kind of their thing. He just kept everything Blaine around instead of throwing it out. I think he knew they'd get back together soon."

"How long ago did they break up?"

"About…2 and a half, 3 weeks, something like that?"

"How was their relationship?" Cop Number One. She was smiling slightly.

"Perfect. Blaine treated him like he was the greatest thing in the world. He really, really loves my brother."

"Any sings of abuse?" Cop Number Two again. Finn's eyes widen.

"No way. Blaine protected Kurt more than anyone. He punched a hole in the wall when he found out that Kurt was…when he found out what happened. There is no way he did this. No way in Hell."

"Calm down, son. We're just trying to cover all our bases."

"When Kurt would get bullied at school after he came back, did you notice anyone in particular who did it more than others or seemed more aggressive?"

Finn furrowed his brow and chewed on the inside of his cheek.

"Uhm…not exactly. But you might want to talk to the girls. They know more than anyone else."

"Okay. Thank you, Finn. This has helped us out a lot. Let us know if you think of anything else, okay?"

He nods, takes the card she offers him, and leaves as quickly as possible.

Yep, definitely starving.

* * *

><p>"Can we really be sure it wasn't the ex?" Detective Moore asks his partner. She shakes her head.<p>

"My gut tells me it wasn't him. But I guess until the victim starts talking, we can't be sure of anything."

* * *

><p>"Ma!"<p>

Evelyn turns her head at the sound of Wes's voice. She catches him around his middle. Her heels forgotten on the ground, she's at least a foot shorter than the kid she's practically raised since he was five.

"Hey Wes."

Her voice sounds worse than she thought.

He pulls away, and David is immediately in his place. She hugs him tightly. These two boys might as well be her own children, all things considered.

"How are you two holding up?" She asks, concern shining in her hazel eyes. They match her son's perfectly.

"Alright. We just got some food, finally got out of this depressing place for a bit. It hasn't been fun thought." Wes supplies. David nods.

"We haven't even seen Blaine yet. Thanks to all your calls, he's been able to sleep in Kurt's room with him for a while. He's been here since 5 am, Ev."

Her lips fall into a shadow of a smile.

"He came as soon as he knew, didn't he?"

A nod.

"That's my boy."

* * *

><p>Finn returns moments later and immediately starts in on his food. Pucks comes to sit next to him, dropping a grey t-shirt into his lap first. Finn smiles a relieved smile in gratitude. He nudges his side.<p>

"Hey, who's the hottie over there?" He nods towards the short, skinny, fairly young woman talking to Wes and David. Finn looks and chokes on his burger.

"Dude! That's Blaine's mom!"

Puck shrugs.

"Hobbit's got a hot mom."

Finn punches his arm.

"That's disgusting, man."

* * *

><p>It's 8:49 at night. No one is willing to go home.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Please review. <em>


	3. Chapter 3

_I wanted to quickly say thank you very very extremely much to every single one of you who has read, reviewed, put me on their alert list, put this story on their alert list, or favorited it. Seriously, it means the world to me. Thank you.  
><em>

_Originally, this chapter was longer, but I cut it in half because I wanted to get this out sooner…that and I hate typing sometimes. Anyway. Happy Independence Day to all you fellow Americans! I hope you enjoy this little installment here._

_ALSO. Did anyone else see Darren Criss and Chris Colfer kiss during Glee Live in Dublin last night? Because I did. And I freaked. Little trolls. Uhm, ignore my fangirling and continue onward.  
><em>

* * *

><p>Blaine stirs. When he opens his eyes, he is definitely not in his dorm room at Dalton. There's an obnoxious beeping noise and something warm curled up at his side. He looks down, sees Kurt's sleeping form, and immediately, everything comes rushing back.<p>

His stomach drops immediately, and he has to take a few deep, shaking breaths to keep himself from screaming and throwing his fist through another wall.

It is then that Kurt's eyes creak open. Well, eye. The other is so swollen that he can't open it and Blaine feels the anger rush all the way from the tip of his head to his toes. He looks up at Blaine, who can't help but soften at his sleepy smile.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty."

Kurt scoffs, but the smile stays in place, widening ever so slightly.

"I'm not kidding. You look beautiful."

Again, he scoffs.

"I speak only the truth."

An eye roll. Then he sees Blaine's bandaged knuckles and looks in his eyes, eyebrows furrowed. He gently lifts the injured hand.

"Oh, that."

Kurt nods.

"Uhm….when the doctor told us what happened…Ipunchedaholeinthewall." It comes out in one breath, but Kurt catches it easily. His eye widens tremendously. Then, he bursts out laughing.

"What? I was pissed!" He feels defensive, and he's not sure why.

Kurt shakes his head and continues to chuckle.

"Just because you never see me lose my temper doesn't mean it doesn't happen." He's defiant. Kurt gently kisses his knuckles, but only through his quiet laughter. "I can't believe you find my pain humorous!" He pouts. Kurt shakes his head quickly. He points to Blaine, makes an angry face, then laughs again.

"You find my anger funny?" He nods. "Well, fine then. But I can be completely intimidating when I want to be."

It's obvious that Kurt disagrees, but he remains silent. He leans his head on Blaine's shoulder, who pulls him closer. They remain like that for a while, one of them not need to speak and the other refusing.

"Kurt?"

He squeezes his hand gently in response.

"Does this mean you'll be my boyfriend again?" It comes out much quieter, more nervous, than he'd meant it to.

Kurt grins to himself and nods against the boy's shoulder. He knew the wouldn't stay apart for long.

"Good. Because I love you."

For a fleeting moment, Kurt is terrified that he'll try to kiss him when all he can think of are _his _hands all over him and _his _lips being forced upon him and he just can't, but all Blaine does is touch his lips softly to the top of Kurt's hair and rub his hip gently with his thumb.

Carefully, Kurt forms 'I Love You' in sign language with his fingers.

* * *

><p>As Detectives Moore and Jackson come into the hospital waiting room, Evelyn pushes her feet back into her heels and fixes her hair quickly. Immediately, she takes on her professional persona and stands, buttoning her blazer in the process.<p>

"We're looking for a one Blaine Anderson," the woman announces, glancing at each person in the room.

"I'm his mother."

Her voice draws in their attention, and they immediately stand up straighter.

"DA Anderson! We had no idea…" she trails off, obviously shocked and nervous.

"I wouldn't figure you would. What do you need with my son?" she raises her eyebrow.

"We need to speak to him regarding the Kurt Hummel rape case," Detective Moore answers boldly. She wants to puke again, but she forces it away.

"What do you need to ask him?"

"We just have a few questions, since he _is _the victim's ex-boyfriend, ma'am," Jackson answers. She seems to have regained her footing. Evelyn nods carefully.

"I will need to speak with him first."

She begins to walk in the direction of Kurt's room before turning around and looking her directly in the eye.

"And detectives? Before you try and speak with my client, you might want to call me first. Kurt Hummel will be reserving his right to an attorney at all times."

They're not quite sure what to do with that.

* * *

><p>Blaine is singing softly when Evelyn enters the bleak hospital room. She can't stop the smile from forming on her lips when she takes in the sign before her. Her son, sitting on the tiniest bed she's ever seen with the love of his life wrapped in his arms. She realizes in that moment that probably neither one of them has forced themselves to think about what happened the previous night, and she suddenly hates these police officers for making her ruin this.<p>

Her son is happier than she's ever seen him, even through the hints of worry, sadness, and anger edging in the corners of his eyes.

"I'm taking it you two have patched things up," she comments, taking another step towards the bed.

"Took way too long, if you ask me."

She chuckles.

"I gave you three days, so it certainly took longer than I expected." This earns a smile from the beaten boy at his side. When Kurt looks up at Blaine, Blaine looks down at Kurt. Their eyes are shining. Never in her life has she seen two people so in love. Her heart breaks ever so slightly at this sight- the sight of a battered, broken boy looking to her son like he hung the moon, and her son knowing that this boy is the most beautiful thing he'll ever see.

"How are you doing, honey?" she asks, needing to readjust her focus before she breaks down.

Kurt shrugs in response, eyes dropping a little.

"And you, Blaine? I hear you ran away from Dalton at 4:30 in the morning and broke more than a few traffic laws to get here," she's still his mother, after all.

Kurt's eye widens again. He looks at Blaine, searching for a sign that this wasn't the case. However, Blaine only looks at his lap and sheepishly scratches the back of his neck. Kurt narrows his eye and smacks him in the stomach with the back of his hand.

"Oh, right. Like I wasn't going to come as soon as your dad called," he says. Kurt folds his arms across his chest indignantly, but Evelyn can't tells he's touches. She knows him well enough to know by now. She looks to her son and raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, arms crossed. He sighs.

"I'm sorry I broke Dalton rules _and _traffic laws, mom. But I'm not sorry for coming. I couldn't have stayed away even if I'd wanted to."

"I'm not expecting you to be sorry," she begins, "but don't you ever scare me like that again. I had no idea where you were at all today. If, heaven forbid, you have another emergency like this one, please just call me first so that I'm not forced into an untimely death."

Blaine nods, "Yeah, I suppose that's fair."

Evelyn scoffs at his wording, but leaves it alone.

"So. Is there any other reason you came in here other than just to tell me not to run off at ridiculous times of the morning?" Both teens eye her curiously. She signs, bites her lip momentarily.

"The police want to talk to you."

Kurt starts panicking.

"No, Kurt, not you. They want to talk to Blaine."

His eyebrows furrow.

"Why do they want to talk to me?"

"I don't know. All they told me was that they had some questions about the case, and-"

"What do you mean 'the case'? You only say that when you're talking about one of _your _cases." Blaine knows his mother way too well.

"Blaine, honey, go talk to the police, okay? Let me talk to Kurt for a bit."

"Mom, are you taking Kurt's case?" He can't decide how he feels about this, but he certainly just wants his mother to tell him the truth.

"Blaine, please. I'll talk to you when you're done." She's using her lawyer voice. He bites the inside of his cheek, but begins to climb off the bed. Kurt latches onto his shirt and shakes his head furiously.

"Kurt, baby, I'll only be a few minutes, okay? And then I'll come right back, and I won't leave again. But I have to go talk to them."

The tears are starting to leak out of his boyfriend's eyes, and he feels his resolve crumbling quickly.

"I'll stay with you until he gets back, Kurt. Don't worry. You won't be alone." Kurt glances to her then back to Blaine, who really doesn't want to go. Very slowly, he nods his head. Blaine lets out a breath, wipes a tear from his cheek, then kisses it gently.

"I love you, okay? I'll be back soon."

Another nod and finger-signed 'I Love You'.

Evelyn Anderson's heart breaks again.

* * *

><p>Blaine takes the walk to the waiting room to breathe. Now that he's out of Kurt's sight, he's furious all over again. The only time he's been capable of forgetting about what he let happen is when he's with Kurt. Then he can let everything fade away and just focus on making his boyfriend smile. But away from that, all he can think of is how scared he must've been, how hurt, how in need of someone to save him. And Blaine wasn't there.<p>

He's almost more angry with himself than anything.

He hits the waiting room and is immediately engulfed by Wes and David. He hugs them back, letting go of the tension in his shoulders. He's suddenly incredibly grateful they showed up.

"Blaine, man. How are you holding up?" David asks. He lets out a long breath.

"Could definitely be better," he mumbles.

"I'm sorry this happened. Really, really sorry," Wes hesitates, "How's Kurt?"

"He's….as to be expected. I think he's forcing himself to think about anything other than this right now. And…and…he won't talk."

"What do you mean?"

"He doesn't say a word. It's like he's scared of what will happen when he starts talking."

"I'm sorry to break up the party, but are you Blaine Anderson?" Detective Moore asks, eyeing him carefully. The kid standing at 5'6" _tops _in old McKinley High sweatpants, a Batman hoodie, and mismatched Converse, curly hair flying everywhere, and a small amount of scruff growing along his jaw line is _not _what he expected Blaine Anderson to be. He shifts his gaze away because this Blaine's eyes are way too honest.

"Yeah, that's me."

Detective Jackson takes a step forward.

"Could you come talk to us for a little while?"

"Yeah, sure."

He nods an acknowledgment to Finn and Burt, smiles at Crole, then follows the police down the hallway.

Regardless of the fact that he wants to be sick.

* * *

><p>Tentatively, Evelyn takes steps towards Kurt's bedside. She notices, with his arms wrapped around his middle and the light fading from his eyes, that his guard is going up piece by piece. When Blaine is around, he's the Kurt she's spent so much time around, but when he's not…Kurt is so much more broken. Broken, but furiously trying to glue himself back together.<p>

She sits in the plastic chair.

"Thank you, Kurt," she whispers, entirely involuntarily. His eyes shoot up, confusion evident, "I haven't seen Blaine this honestly happy since the day his father left. You brought back my son. I don't think I've ever thanked you for that. So, thank you."

He nods, wiping at a tear. He squeezes her hand fleetingly, then lets it drop, replacing his arm around his middle again.

She lets the silence rest in the room for a while, settling around them in a comfortable blanket. However, she soon forces herself to speak because she's afraid of losing him to wherever his mind could take him without Blaine around.

"Kurt, I don't know if Blaine ever told you what I do for a living, but I'm the District Attorney- the DA. I'm the prosecutor for a lot of high profile cases, and, I'll be honest, I'm pretty damn good at my job. That's why…that's why I wanted to talk to you about maybe letting me take on your case."

He bites his lip.

"I know you don't want to talk about it right now. You don't want to talk about what happened or who did it…nothing. And I get that. It's going to be a terrifying place to go to, but when you're ready to tell us who did this, I want to be the one to put him behind bars. I want to be able to say I was one of the people who contributed to him being stuck in a 9 by 5 prison cell for as long as possible. I know I'm not technically supposed to take on any case that I may be emotionally involved in, but I can't put this to rest. Regardless of the lawyer you get, this…thing who did this to you _will _be put in jail for a very, very long time. But, if you'd be okay with it, I'd like to be the lawyer who makes that happen," she finishes with tears in her eyes. Because the boy in front of her can't even bring himself to speak. He's so scared that he can't say a single word.

When she thinks of whomever drove him to this place, her hatred for her ex-husband doesn't even come close to the loathing she feels.

* * *

><p>Carole spent an hour cleaning up the front foyer while Burt was sleeping in a plastic chair so that her family didn't have to come home to Kurt's blood under their noses.<p>

* * *

><p>Finn misses his brother. He misses his brother, he misses his mom, he misses his dad and Burt, he misses the Glee club. He feels uncannily far from everyone in his life, and that scares him.<p>

So he sits on the tile floor of the hospital waiting room with Puck, Wes, David, and a deck of cards, hoping to feel like things might end up okay.

* * *

><p>Kurt is chewing on his bottom lip and twisting his hands in his lap. He sits there just like that for a long time, considering and reconsidering, all while trying to keep those dark memories suppressed. He suddenly comes to a decision.<p>

He raises his head, looks Evelyn straight in the eye, and nods. He is positive about this. She lets herself smile.

"Thank you, Kurt, for letting me do this."

He shakes his head and mouths, 'No, thank you'. She smiles a sad smile again.

"You know, Kurt, I get that you don't want to talk about what happened, but you just telling us a name can get him arrested in mere hours, I'll make sure of it. Fast enough that he won't be able to hurt you, and then he'll never be able to hurt you again," his eyes gleam mildly with hope, "And I know you probably won't want to tell me or your dad or the police, but just…tell Blaine, okay? As soon as you feel like you can, tell Blaine."

Kurt nods again because, thankfully, he knows he can trust this woman's son more than he can anyone else.

"Well, good," she says with a curt nod. Kurt smiles softly. The two sit in silence for a few moments, not knowing quite what to say. Then a small smirk works its way onto Evelyn's lips, a gleam shining in her eyes.

"Now, Kurt. How would you feel about hearing some stories of Blaine's childhood that I'm not exactly supposed to share with any living soul?"

His eyes light up.


	4. Chapter 4

_Once again, I am astounded at the response this is getting. Seriously, thank you to each and every one of you. Also, I'm really glad you all love Momma Anderson as much as I do. She's probably my favorite original character I've ever written. _

_Anyway. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. It's the longest one yet, so there's that. Continue onward. : )_

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own Glee nor anything else you may recognize.  
><em>

* * *

><p>Blaine does not want to be here. He does not want to be in this stupid room with these stupid police officers. He just wants to be back with Kurt. He misses his boyfriend already.<p>

"Mr. Anderson, how long have you known Kurt?" She seems nice enough, he decides.

"Uhm…since the beginning of October."

"And how did you meet him?"

Blaine smiles fondly, "He was going to McKinley at the time. We were going to be competing against them at Sectionals for show choirs in a few months, so Kurt decided to come spy on us. Even though I knew from the moment I saw him that he wasn't a new student like he said, I, I'll admit, thought he was gorgeous, so I took him to the place we were performing in, and might as well have serenaded him. Afterwards, I took him to the coffee shop on campus to talk to him with a few of my friends. But when he asked about being gay and our no bullying policy, I had them leave. I knew right then that he was being bullied at his school, and I knew he wouldn't want them around when we talked about it. The thing is, I went through the same thing at my old school. I knew how he was feeling. I didn't want to talk about it back then, especially with people who just didn't understand. Turns out, we connected right away, and he started talking. We became fast friends. I felt a need to help him, protect him, mentor him, even."

"You were bullied at your school before you went to Dalton?"

"Yeah, for being gay. There's a lot of homophobes in Ohio, detective. And they don't take kindly to being around gay people."

The man looks at him, "What did Kurt tell you about the bullying?"

"He told me it was getting worse. Some guy was shoving him into lockers, intimidating him more than anyone else, calling him terrible names."

"Who was this 'guy'?"

"Dave Karofsky. He's on the football team at McKinley."

"Did you tell Kurt anything in return?" It's the woman. He doesn't understand what this has to do with anything, but he answers.

"I told him to have courage."

"I see. And what happened after that?"

"I would send him text messages, voice mails, call him, reminding him to have courage. He took my advice one day, but it didn't turn out too well."

"What do you mean?"

"Karofsky. He shoved Kurt into the lockers, and instead of brushing it off, he ran after him. Cornered him in the locker rooms and confronted him, said everything he'd been holding inside. And Karofsky just…he…" Blaine hates this story.

"He what? Beat him up? Left him alone? What happened?" Detective Moore is getting anxious. Blaine's hands ball into fists.

"He kissed him. Dave Karofsky, biggest homophobic, pea-brained, football jock douche bag was actually a closeted gay kid. At least, in terms of Kurt."

The eyes of the detectives widen. He supposes they haven't heard this story yet.

"So, he had feelings for Kurt that weren't reciprocated?"

"I guess you could say that."

"What happened after that?"

"Kurt called me sobbing. I was so furious. I skipped school the next day and went to McKinley to help Kurt with Karofsky. We didn't get through to him. After that, he only escalated. Got to the point where he threatened to kill Kurt if he told anyone about the locker room, so he and his parents agreed that coming to Dalton was the safest option for him. He had to get away from all of that."

Detective Moore eyes his partner, writes something down, then looks back to Blaine. He feels uncomfortable and impatient.

"So, you and Kurt were pretty close by then, yes?"

"Of course. We related to each other in a different way than we could relate to anyone else. We became best friends."

"How long did it take for you to fall in love with him?" Detective Jackson asked softly. Blaine smiles as if remembering something too far out in the distance for him to grasp.

"Detective, I fell in love with Kurt the moment I turned and saw him on those stairs at Dalton. Granted, I'm an idiot. I didn't realize how much I love him until the middle of February."

"That's when you started dating?"

"Yes."

"How was your relationship with Kurt, son?"

At this, Blaine is positively beaming.

"It was the best thing to ever happen to me. Every day was something new. We always learned new things about each other. I fell more in love with him every single day. He makes me happier than anyone or anything else in the world."

"How long ago did you dump him?" This guy was much too blunt.

"2 and a half weeks ago."

"Why? If your relationship was so perfect, then why did you dump him and leave him heartbroken? Was he taking too long to put out? Was that it? Were you just sick of sitting around waiting for him to drop his pa-"

"You shut the _hell _up. Don't you dare talk about him like that." He is absolutely furious. His fingernails are digging into the palms of his hands. He can't think or see clearly, "I love Kurt. I love him more than I think I realize sometimes. I don't give a damn about sex, as much as you seem to think I do. All I care about is him and what will make him happy. Kurt and I agreed as soon as we started dating that neither one of us was ready for something like that, that we were going to wait. Now some bastard has stolen that from him, and he's never going to have the chance to make that choice. I can't change that now. But I love him, he loves me, and _that's _what's important about in our relationship. _That's _what I care about."

When Blaine finishes, his palms are bleeding in small crescent moons, and it takes him a full minute of deep breathing before he's calm enough to sit back down in his chair. The two detectives look at one another. This was not the reaction Detective Moore was expecting to get out of a teenage boy. He remembers being one. _Everything _was about sex to him. But this seventeen-year-old kid's reaction was more honest than anything he's seen that day. He clears his throat. Detective Jackson looks at him again, then steps in.

"Kurt was very lucky to have you. But I do wonder, why _did_ you break up?" She's gentle, as though placating a child. Blaine hates this more than ever.

"I got scared. Kurt had been seeing me every single day for months. When he started going to McKinley again, he reconnected with all his other friends. I got scared and worried that being so far away all the time would make Kurt stop loving me. People don't generally stick around much. And Kurt is so absolutely incredible that I was sure he'd find someone better. Someone so much better than me because I'm really nothing special. I guess I didn't really give him much credit."

"And did he?"

"Did he what?"

"Find someone else?"

"No. Kurt and I are already back to where we should be, Detective, and I'm not going anywhere this time."

"When Kurt transferred back to McKinley, did he tell you about the bullying?" It's that tool of a cop, and Blaine considers not answering. But he thinks of Kurt and how he needs him.

"Yes."

"What did he tell you?"

"He told me that the guys in Glee club and Santana were keeping an eye on him as much as they could. Finn went to school with him and made sure he got to his car safely afterward- if he had football. Otherwise, he'd just go home with him. There was usually at least one of them with him between classes, during all free time. He said he hated being treated like such a baby, but I could tell he appreciated it. But he also told me about what would happen on the off-chance he was alone."

"And what was that?"

Blaine takes a deep, calming breath.

"It was worse than before. There were times when he was just slusheed or shoved into a locker or called a name. But then…then there were the times he'd get his tires slashed or get beaten up. A few football guys or hockey jocks, sometimes the whole team and sometimes just one guy would bash his head into a locker, throw punches, kick him while he was one the ground completely helpless. There's a few too many designer pieces in his wardrobe now ruined with bloodstains."

Detective Jackson swallows, "Was there anyone who was worse or more aggressive than the others?"

He nods.

"Surprisingly enough, it wasn't Karofsky. I guess the Glee guys didn't take too kindly to him forcing Kurt out of McKinley. Scared him off. He barely looked at Kurt anymore, much less harassed him. This time, it was mostly Ryan Stewart. He's on the football team and the hockey team. He always seemed to be leading the charge, he'd even go after Kurt when it was just the two of them," realization seemed to dawn on the teen at this moment, "Oh my…he probably did this, didn't he? I knew what he was doing to Kurt, I could've stopped this. I should've-"

"Blaine, there's nothing you could've done. This guy, whomever he is, was going to get Kurt alone at some point. His injuries and the crime itself shows extreme amounts of pent up aggression. He was going to find some way to make this happen. There was nothing you could have done," she's trying to help.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Blaine looks up, eyes dark.

Immediately, the air becomes thick and awkward.

"That should be enough for right now, Mr. Anderson. We'll let you know if we have any more questions. And if you think of anything else, let us know," he hands Blaine a card. Immediately, he leaves the room.

He needs to get back to Kurt.

Now.

* * *

><p>"So. I suppose it's not the boyfriend," Detective Moore comments.<p>

"Slash DA's son."

* * *

><p>"Uhm, Wes, right?" Burt feels awkward.<p>

The Asian kid looks up from his cell phone.

"Uh, yeah. Hey, Mr. Hummel. Do you…need something?"

David looks between the two of them. He's confused.

"This is kind of a strange question, but how's Blaine been the past few weeks? I'm worried about him. This is hitting him harder than anyone."

"Blaine…he hasn't been doing so well. Ever since Kurt went back to McKinley he's been in the biggest rut. He doesn't want to sing, doesn't pay too much attention in class. He goes to school, the goes to his dorm, and sulks. I'm glad they got back together because I was about to force them."

Burt nods, slowly. He takes his baseball cap off, rubs his head, then replaces it. He looks at Wes.

"I need you to be honest with me, kid."

Wes nods. He's worried.

"Is Blaine going to be okay?"

The boy is quiet. He thinks, considers. He sighs.

"I hope so, Mr. Hummel. I really, really hope so."

* * *

><p>Blaine is tired. He's exhausted. He's fuming. And never is he ever going to associate with the cops again. But when he starts to enter his boyfriend's hospital room, he can't help but grin at the sight. He leans against the doorframe, arms crossed across his broad chest as he watches his mother and his boyfriend laughing together. His mom's hair is down, her designer shoes forgotten on the ground, feet pulled up underneath her. Kurt has life in his eyes, an immense amount of life. The scene is beautiful.<p>

Kurt feels his eyes on him and blushes. He always does when he catches Blaine's eyes on him, studying him, looking at him like he can see everything inside of him. It's that look that reveals he can see so much more than anyone else can.

Blaine's mom looks up and grins at him as he walks over and places a kiss on both their cheeks.

"What's so funny?" he asks. The two share a look, and Kurt bursts into giggles again. Evelyn looks at him with a devious smirk.

"I was just telling Kurt about that time at your Aunt Harriet's birthday part when you were nine, and you decided that it would be a really good idea to sit…on the cake. Because you thought it was a crime that it didn't even have a topper."

Blaine stares at her for a moment, then his eyes widen.

"I always knew you were a terrible, horrible, vindictive mother deep down," Blaine states, his face completely bright red. Evelyn feigns injury for a moment, but Kurt shoots her a look and the two of them burst into laughter again. Blaine buries his face in his hands with a groan, but as he recalls being that nine-year-old kid again, he can't help but join in, laughing harder than he has in the past three weeks.

It's moments like these that he cherishes.

* * *

><p>It is 11:53 pm when the two detectives came back in to the waiting room. Burt and Carole stand to greet them.<p>

"We've spoken to everyone necessary for today. Tomorrow, we plan on talking to any of his friends that might have any information, and we were wondering if you could provide us a list of who might know anything. It would help us immensely in our investigation," Detective Jackson explains. Burt nods.

"Finn? Puck? Could you come here for a minute?" he calls. The two of them come over and give the detectives the names of Kurt's friends at McKinley, and Wes and David do the same for Dalton Academy.

"We advise you all to head home now. You've been here all day, and you look exhausted. We'll keep in touch," she says with a small smile.

The two leave with the shakes of hands.

The remaining six exchange glances.

"I think the police are right. We should all head home, get some rest. Kurt will be okay for the night," Carole suggests. It takes Burt a moment, but he eventually agrees.

"Can I…before we go, do you think I could talk to him? Just for a second?" It's Puck who poses the question.

"Yeah, Puck. Go on back. It's room 203," Burt answers. The kid nods and leaves through the door. Finn is, surprisingly enough, the only one not confused. He simply shrugs, then offers a wave to the woman who enters into the room. She looks much more drained that she did when she came, but she waves back. She says something to the woman at the desk who glares, says something back, but quickly seems to apologize at the response she gets and picks up the phone.

Ms. Anderson comes to join the group.

"It's amazing the kind of power the title of DA has," she comments with a distinct air of nonchalance.

Finn admires her more by the second.

"Blaine will be staying with Kurt tonight, Mr. Hummel. As his attorney, I don't think it's very smart for him to be alone, and Blaine seems like the best bet to stay with him. I've worked it all out with the hospital, so don't worry about anything. I think it's best if you head home for the night. There's not much you can do right now," It's the lawyer side of her talking, that much is obvious.

"We're just waiting on Puck, and then we're going to go ahead and go. Thank you again for everything, Evelyn. This means so much,' Carole is tearing up again, and Evelyn simply nods.

"It's the very least I can do."

* * *

><p>Noah Puckerman awkwardly clears his throat. The two boys tangled up in each other on the bed look up. Puck inhales sharply at the bruises on Kurt's face, all the machines he's hooked up to, the bandage on his head. He can't believe someone did this to him.<p>

"Hey Hummel," he smirks, hands shoved into the front pockets of the jeans he hastily threw on this morning. Kurt is confused. Blaine looks at Puck carefully.

"I'm gonna give you two a minute. I'll be right back, baby," he kisses his temple, climbs off the bed, and pats Puck's shoulder as he leaves, closing the door gently behind him.

"Finn called me this morning. Told me some punkass kid…" Puck trails off, "I just wanted to make sure you were doing aright."

This is the most vulnerable Kurt has ever seen Noah, aside from the day Beth was born. He doesn't feel like lying, so he settles for a short shrug.

"I'm so sorry I let this happen, man. I should've been there, should've stopped him. I swear, as soon as you tell me who it was, they're gone, Kurt. They're never going to hurt you again." He's so angryfrustratedworriedscared, and he called him Kurt for the first time. His eyes soften.

"I used to be such a douche to you. Now I look at you lying here in a hospital bed, and all I wanna do is bash this dude's face in. How'd we get here?" There's a smirk playing on his lips. Kurt chuckles and offers another shrug, this one playful. They sit in silence for a moment before Kurt motions him forward. He then slowly wraps his arms around the huge football jock's torso, who responds by sliding his arms around his shoulders. They hug tightly for a few moments, Kurt inhaling this recently familiar scent, silently thanking Puck, and Puck letting his guard down for enough time to actually feel. He closes his eyes and forces himself to keep the tears at bay.

Slowly, reluctantly, they let go. They look at one another, an understanding passing easily between them. Puck nods, smiles a genuine smile, then walks to the door. He pauses and turns back to Kurt with his hand on the doorknob.

"Remember, no one messes with my boy. You give me a name, He gets a burial site in the desert."

Kurt grins and nods. Puck nods back once and leaves.

Immediately, he's met by Blaine.

"Thanks for taking care of my boy, hobbit," he says.

"Anytime, Noah."

* * *

><p>When Puck returns, the room has three less people.<p>

"Blaine's mom, Wes, and David already left," Finn comments. The exhaustion is dripping from his voice.

"You guys didn't need to wait," Puck says. Carole smiles.

"I know," she wraps an arm around her husband's waist, then the group heads out of the hospital, trying desperately to believe it'd only been a day.

* * *

><p>"Your family probably left, but mom got the hospital to let me stay the night. I swear, when she has her lawyer self turned on, she can get anyone to do anything," Blaine says as he reenters the room. Without Blaine asking, Kurt slides over to make enough room for his boyfriend to snuggle up next to him. He molds to fit the shape of his companion, sighing in contentment as he lets his head rest on his shoulder. Even though he's sitting in a hospital room after the worst moment of his entire life, he is perfectly content curled up next to his best friend as he flips through the channels on the TV.<p>

"Oh, look what we heave here. Lifetime Movie Network- my favorite guilty pleasure."

Kurt chuckles. His boyfriend loves these movies way too much. He can't count the number of Friday nights he's spent curled up with Blaine and a bowl of popcorn with a Lifetime movie on the TV screen. He likes that Blaine is letting him pretend, at least for a moment, that things are normal. He settles down and revels in the feel of Blaine's breath on the top of his head, his distinct smell in his nose, and his fingers, rubbing delicate circles on his hip. He lets his eyes slip closed to the sound of quiet singing mixing with the sounds of a movie he's probably already seen.

He's fairly certain he could stay here forever.

* * *

><p>Evelyn Anderson kicks her heels off immediately as she steps into her hotel room. She had offered one to Wes and David as well, but they chose to stick out the hour and a half drive and get back to Dalton. She simply couldn't drive back to her home. Even though it was only an hour's drive away from Lima, her brain was too full. She couldn't get the image of a broken Kurt curled up next to her barely-holding-himself-together son out of her head. The more she saw them together, the more her heart hurt. Her mind was consumed, trying desperately to think of how in the world Kurt must feel at that moment, what it must have been like for him. Thinking about what he must have been going through when it happened…<p>

She rushes to the bathroom and is sick all over again.

* * *

><p>Puck opts out of going home for the night and crashes with Finn in his room. He comes out of the bathroom and looks at his best friend, who's sitting on the edge of the bed staring into space.<p>

"Finn, man. What's up?"

"I can't stop thinking about it."

"About what?"

"Kurt. Seeing him in that front hallway. Waiting for him to be okay. Watching him with Blaine. This guy destroyed him, Puck. The only person he feels totally okay around is Blaine. I just hate this. I mean, why Kurt? Why _my _brother?"

There's a short silence.

"I don't know why. But Finn, Kurt's a tough kid. He's going to pull through this. And whoever did this is going to pay for it. He'll be okay, man," Puck says. Finn looks up.

"Really? You really think he'll be alright?"

Finns eyes are wide, full of hope. He's such a kid sometimes.

"Yeah, Finn. I really think so."

* * *

><p>"Carole?" Burt whispers into the darkness. He just can't sleep. His wife rolls over and halfway sits up, cheek resting in her hand.<p>

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For today. I couldn't have done that without you."

"Burt, honey, of course. We're a family now. I wouldn't have been anywhere else."

He nods, "I just…I don't know what to do. I keep seeing Kurt as a five-year-old kid eating his Cheerios in the morning or as an eight-year-old, crying at his mother's funeral. These images of the first time he tied his shoes or the first car we fixed up together, even the day he finally told me he's gay. I could never love him more, Carole," there's a short pause, "Should I have seen this coming? When I held my son in my arms for the first time, was I supposed to know that this is where he'd end up?"

"Burt, you love your son. Sometimes, terrible things just happen. There is no way any of us could've seen able to see this coming. You can't go back and stop this from happening, as much as I know you wish you could. All you can do is be there for Kurt now. He needs you," she finishes with a smile. Her husband sighs.

"I don't want him to ever have to feel the way he does."

"I know, honey."

She drops a kiss to his temple.

"And Burt?"

He turns to her, and she looks him straight tin the eyes.

"You are the best father in the entire world."

* * *

><p>It's the next morning, when he comes down the stairs, that Burt suddenly realizes the blood that once stained their font hallway is gone, without a trace.<p>

He smiles and decides to make his wife breakfast.

* * *

><p>Kurt is running. Running fast and hard, but he can't go fast enough. He wills himself to go faster, but his legs refuse the command. He panics as a hand closes in around the fabric of his t-shirt and pulls him down to the ground. Kurt screams and the sneering face laughs menacingly at Kurt, who's tears are making it impossible to see. Lips are violently forced onto his and he tastes cigarettes and blood. He's tryingtryingtrying to shove the weight off of his body, but he can't. He can't breathe. The contact on his lips is gone and he's creaming for help. Screaming nonono he can't stop screaming because it's his only chance. The sound of clothing ripping makes him sobscreamclaw. He needs to get out of here. "You want this, <em>fag<em>. You _know_ you do." is slithered into his ear and he feels sick because _no, _no he doesn't. He's screaming and being shaken violently. He hears his name, but he's scared, _terrified, _so he just keeps screaming.

Until, very suddenly, Blaine's face is above him, and he can feel his fists clenching at the material of his t-shirt. Kurt is gasping for air he can't find because he can still feel hands all over him.

"Kurt. Hey, Kurt, baby please calm down. I'm right here, I promise I'm never leaving you. Shh, okay? You're awake now, it was just a dream. It's okay now. I'm right here. I love you."

Kurt slowly finds breath and tries to stop crying, stop thinking about that face, that pain all over, those wor-

'**No', **he tells himself sternly. He focuses on the feel of Blaine's hand rubbing circles on his back and the sound of his voice in his ear. With a painstakingly desperate amount of effort, Kurt is able to replace dreams with reality. The puzzle pieces begin fitting together in his mind. A hospital room, Blaine, police, his dad. They work their way to the front of Kurt's thoughts, and he makes himself stand with two feet in reality.

He gently opens his eyes again and whimpers at the darkness. He bites his lip because there are _way _too many places for someone to hide. Blaine reads his mind in that special way of his and detaches himself from Kurt's grasp to turn the lights on, and gets back in the bed before the bewildered teen really understands it's happening. He feels his stomach physically unclench as the light floods into the room. He takes a moment to look around the room, once more clutching at Blaine, to be sure it's just the two of them. When he can't see _his _face anymore, he lets his head fall against Blaine's shoulder.

"Are you feeling better, love?" His voice is smooth, concerned. Kurt couldn't be more grateful for the contrast. He sniffles and half shakes, half nods his head. Blaine nods and lets his boyfriend recover for a moment. But there's a question pestering the back of his mind, one he simply cannot drop.

"Kurt? Can I ask you something?"

Kurt nods softly against his shoulder. He takes a deep breath.

"Your nightmare…you were screaming, that's what woke me up. You were just screaming. But then…then you started screaming someone's name," he's speaking quietly. Kurt stiffens and lifts his head, moregreythananythingeyes wide. Blaine takes his hand and looks directly into those terrified eyes. He has to know the truth.

"Kurt, was Ryan the one who did this to you?"


	5. Chapter 5

_This one is a bit shorter than last chapter, and it's not too full of action, but bear with me. It'll get more eventful in the coming chapters. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Thank you again to every single one of you. I am literally blown away with the number of alerts I get for this story. It means so much._

_**Warning: **__This chapter goes into a little more detail regarding what happened to Kurt medically. It's truly not a lot of detail, but I just wanted to give you a head's up._

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Glee nor anything else you may recognize._

* * *

><p>Evelyn is tired. She is exhausted, sick, and entirely fed up with dealing with idiots who don't know what they're doing.<p>

"No, Carolyn, just put Brad on the phone."

"Ms. Anderson, he's in his office. I don't know-"

"I _know _you don't know what he's doing. I don't care. This is important, I've told you that already. You _need _to put him on the phone."

This new secretary is seriously going to get blacklisted if she doesn't shut her way too high pitched voice and put Brad on the line.

"Ms. Anderson-"

"Listen, sweetheart," she's losing it now as she switches lanes on the highway, making her way back to her house, "I don't give a damn what he's doing, I need to talk to him, and if you don't get him on the phone, you will be fired, and you will never be hired again in any job worth having. Get him on the phone. Now."

There's a click. Then-

"Hello, Evelyn."

"I am going to murder your secretary. Several times."

"She _is_ struggling, isn't she?"

"You don't say."

"Ah, cut her some slack. She's only been at the job a couple weeks."

"A couple weeks too long if you ask me," she mutters as she pulls into her driveway. She shuts off her car and makes her way into her house. She can almost hear his eye roll.

"Besides complaining about my secretary, what did you need?"

"To talk to you about a new case."

* * *

><p>Carole and Burt let Puck and Finn sleep in that day. They leave a note on the counter, then head off to the hospital because Burt has way too many unanswered questions to wait.<p>

* * *

><p>The emergency Warblers meeting was called at 9 in the morning. On a Saturday. They were furious, until they walked in to the Warblers' common room to find Wes and David sitting at the council's table with heavy bags under their eyes, Wes clutching his phone like a lifeline.<p>

"This better be damn important." Thad is not a morning person. Wes sighs and glances at David.

"And where's Blaine? Is he really so important that he doesn't have to come to these ridiculous meetings?" Really not a morning person.

"He wasn't even in school yesterday." A voice calls out.

"Blaine left our room at 4:30 in the morning on Friday. I haven't seen him since," Jeff says.

"Where the-"

"Kurt Hummel is in the hospital. Blaine is with him. Has been since he left his room, like Jeff told you," Wes breaks in, interrupting Thad quickly. The room falls silent. Thad hangs his head.

"What happened? Is he going to be okay?" Jeff asks. He looks nervous, scared. David sighs.

"Simply put, Kurt was the victim of a hate crime. Or at least, that's my guess. He'll recover, but it'll take a while."

"What about Blaine?"

"Blaine is…struggling a lot with this. He probably won't be coming back to school for a while."

"Is there anything we can do? I mean, I know Kurt doesn't go here anymore, but he's still like a Warbler, and Blaine's our lead. We have to do something."

"That's why we called this meeting. We've got an idea."

* * *

><p>Blaine has been carefully watching Kurt sleep for a few hours now. It took him two hours to help him fall back asleep after he woke up from his nightmare, but Blaine hasn't been able to sleep since. He's been trying to figure out how many ways he could commit murder without getting caught.<p>

So far, he's at thirteen.

* * *

><p>Detectives Jackson and Moore arrive at Lima General Hospital at 10:26 on Saturday morning. They have an interview with Kurt Hummel's doctor scheduled for 10:30. The woman at the front desk points them in the direction of her office, and when they enter, she is sitting at her desk, an open file in front of her. She has worry and a touch of fear swimming in her eyes.<p>

"Doctor McVey?"

"Yes. You must be Detective Moore and Detective Jackson," she says, standing up and shaking their hands in turn, "Please, have a seat."

All 3 sit at the same time.

Detective Moore starts.

"Could you tell us about Kurt Hummel's condition?"

She sighs.

"Kurt Hummel. 17-year-old boy. He was brought in very early Friday morning with severe cuts and stab wounds, nearly fatal blood loss, and obvious bruising, possible broken bones. We took him into surgery to repair some of the deeper stab wounds and cuts as well as provide blood transfusions. It was during the examination with a police officer that we discovered he'd been raped."

Detective Moore got the impression she didn't get rape victims much.

"And what led you to that conclusion?" His partner asks softly. The doctor gulps.

"We found traces of semen on his body, bruises in the shape of hands on his upper thighs as well as on his lower back. Paired with the other injuries he'd sustained, it was obvious that it had not been consensual."

"What else did you discover in your examination?"

"There was skin under his fingernails, probably from defending himself, which we sent to the lab with the semen samples. We also…well, here."

And she takes a picture form her file and shoves it in their direction. Detective Jackson takes one look, then turns away. Detective Moore studies it a moment longer.

On a pale stomach, the word "faggot" had been carved. The skin surrounding the bleeding wound was red and puffy. He swallows the sick feeling in his throat.

This was all a whole lot bigger than he'd realized.

* * *

><p>The two detectives walked out of the office and glanced at each other.<p>

"It's about time we call the DA."

* * *

><p>When Detective Moore crosses through the waiting room of Lima General Hospital on his way to the car, a file clutched in his hand, he sees a lot of things. Blood, women on the brink of labor, bruises, but most of all, he sees tears.<p>

Then he sees a 17-year-old boy with honest eyes, curly hair, and two coffee cups in his hands. The boy doesn't see him. Detective almost calls out to him to ask him how the vic- Kurt is doing. But when he realizes that Blaine Anderson is wearing the same clothes he was wearing in that interview, he promptly turns and goes after his partner.

This is really getting to be too much.

* * *

><p>Kurt is grateful for the coffee. It may be disgusting, but it burns his throat enough for him to pretend the silence is the coffee's doing. His boyfriend is burning holes into his skull. He almost wishes he could melt away into the swirling excuse for a cup of coffee.<p>

"Kurt," Ah, a voice. He looks up. "Do you remember last night?"

Back to the coffee.

Because how could he forget?

* * *

><p>Mercedes Jones is freshly showered and dressed, wondering why her best fried hasn't texted her back when the doorbell rings.<p>

"Miss Jones? We need to talk to you about Kurt Hummel. May we come in?"

Ah, _hell _to the no.

* * *

><p>When they finally wake up, Puck and Finn blast ridiculous hip hop music and attempt to make pancakes.<p>

They both ignore the fact that Finn woke up in the middle of the night with tears, and when the pancakes burn, Finn wishes he'd paid more attention to his mom and Kurt making them.

They go to Taco Bell.

* * *

><p>Burt and Carole truly weren't meaning to eavesdrop. Really, they weren't. But as they stand outside room 203, accidentally listening in on Blaine's one-sided conversation, they can't bring themselves to make their presence known.<p>

"Kurt, do you remember last night?" Blaine is all worry, concern, and anxiety. Silence meets him.

"Come on, baby. Look at me. You can't hide from this forever."

A sniffle.

"I wish we could. You know that? I wish I could steal you away and fly you to Italy. You would love Italy. We'd shop, of course, and you'd fawn over all the ridiculous amounts of designer clothes there. I'd force you to eat all the amazing local cuisine even though you'd complain about your pear hips that are actually the hottest hips I've ever seen. We'd ride a gondola at night and stay at a cute hotel overlooking Rome. Maybe we'd rent an apartment, stay until everyone forgot about us. I'd show you all the best places and beautiful spots, and when you got tired of it, I'd take you anywhere. We'd just go and leave this all behind because you never deserved this. I wish I could go back and stop this from happening, but I can't. All I can hope to do is help you recover, help you find who it is you can't quite get to. But you have to help me do this, love. Help me help you."

The room goes silent again. Burt looks to Carole and finds tears glimmering in her eyes. He thinks for a fleeting moment that maybe Blaine is okay for Kurt. Certainly not good enough, but okay.

Then a hushed voice says something that Burt can't hear. When the voice stops, silence follows. Then,

"Thank you, Kurt. I'm so proud of you, you know that? More proud than I've ever been."

Burt and Carole let their moment sink in, then mutually decide to reveal themselves. They step in to find two forgotten coffee cups sitting on the floor, Blaine sitting up on the bed, his back propped against the pillows, and Kurt, curled into him on his lap, ear pressed against his chest as though listening for a heartbeat. His eyes are closed.

Blaine's aren't.

He sees his boyfriend's parents enter. For half a second, he considers making Kurt move, but he's much too tired to have the strength. He offers a smile instead. It's Kurt who does the moving as soon as Burt clears his throat. He slides off of Blaine, who takes the hint and climbs off the bed, proceeding to help Kurt resituate himself.

"Hey, kid."

Kurt waves and half smiles in return.

Blaine can tell a family moment when he sees one.

"I'm going to go call my mom. I'll come back soon. I love you, Kurt." He drops a kiss to his temple and grins at the signed answer that makes Burt crumble, just a little. "See ya, Burt. Bye, Carole." He shakes Burt's hand and accepts Carole's hug, like always, then leaves.

Kurt doesn't know what to do.

* * *

><p>Evelyn Anderson has taken the longest shower of her life, which included a small mental breakdown during which her favorite shampoo's bottle was broken into pieces.<p>

She hopes this was the last time.

Her phone suddenly rings. She sees it's her son, and does her best not to sound as terrified at she feels.

"Hey, sweetie."

"Hey, mom." This does not sound like her son. This sounded thick and exhausted, weighed down by something she doesn't understand.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm…okay enough."

She chooses not to press.

"And how's Kurt?"

A sigh.

"He's as well as could possibly be expected. He had a nightmare last night from which he woke up screaming and in tears. He insists that the physical pain isn't too bad, though I doubt that." He sounds occupied, not all there. She chooses to press.

"Blaine, honey, you sound distracted. What's going on?"

He is silent.

"Blaine. What are you not telling me? What happened?"

More silence.

"Blaine Dominic Anderson, I am your mother and his attorney. I need to know these things."

"Ma…I know who did it."

"I'll be there in an hour. I love you."

As soon as she hangs up, it rings again.

Damn detectives and their incessant calls.

She answers.

* * *

><p>Kurt was, in fact, listening to Blaine's heartbeat. He believed that if he could hold on to that bit of consistency, the way it beat rhythmically, as if pounding out music, then he could hold himself together.<p>

He thinks of Blaine's pulse thudding in his ear as his parents sit in front of him, hopelessly trying to breath through.

He doesn't have the heart to tell them they might never hear his voice again.

* * *

><p>Brittany S. Pierce doesn't understand why the man and woman at her door are wearing such ugly suits and why they know her name and she wonders briefly if they're from the CIA (Cat Intervention Association) because Lord Tubbington is still smoking, but then they're asking her questions about Kurt and she feels like this is really really bad. Then they tell her Kurt's really hurt, and all she can do is cry.<p>

That's when a furious looking Santana Lopez appears and tells them to get out until they tell her what's happened. They use a weird 'r' word that Brittany doesn't understand, but it makes Santana soften and just help Brittany to the couch, closing the door gently after the two people enter her house.

The whole things makes the blonde girl very sad in a way she doesn't quite understand.

* * *

><p>Blaine is pacing back and forth in the waiting room when his mom arrives. She gathers him in her arms and tries to keep herself together as his tears begin.<p>

She feels like it's been years since she's seen someone smile.

* * *

><p>Doctor Heather McVey has been in practice at Lima General Hospital for 9 years, and never has she had a case this personal. She can't get the young boy's beaten face, vacant eyes, or carelessly carved stomach out of her head. She wonders whywhywhy over and over again, and she cares in a way she never has before.<p>

The last rape victim she dealt with killed herself a weak after being released.

She just hopes this boy turns out okay.

* * *

><p>Finn and Puck arrive back at the hospital, only to find a one Mercedes Jones arguing with a nurse, all eyes on her.<p>

"I told you I don't care about your policies! My best friend could be _dying_!" She's furious. Puck rushes over and grabs her arm, pulling her away.

"You cannot just go causing scenes in a hospital, Mercedes. Not cool."

Finn is ridiculously grateful Puck chose this instead of his house.

* * *

><p>With scheduled testing being done on Kurt, Burt and Carole head back to the waiting room to find Finn, Puck, and Mercedes. Evelyn and Blaine emerge from a small hallway and join them moments later. Blaine's eyes are red.<p>

"What're _you _doin' here, white boy?"

Blaine doesn't blame her.

"Mercedes, seriously, chill."

"Blaine's been here as long as I have. He and Kurt are back together. You don't have to go all psycho black chick on him," Finn say. He has a strange need to protect Blaine. He smiles a tired smile in gratitude.

It's suddenly a strange dynamic, having Mercedes replace Wes and David, but Finn is grateful for the change. It makes him feel as though the world hasn't actually stopped spinning.

* * *

><p>Some sit, some stand, but they're all just waiting.<p>

Nothing to do but wait.

* * *

><p>At some point, Evelyn excuses herself to take a phone call. She looks remarkably put-together and beautiful all at the same time, her trusty black heels clicking on the floor as she walks away. She returns minutes later, her lawyer face slapped on already.<p>

"Blaine, we need to be at the police station in a few hours. But first you need to clean up somehow. I think you probably have enough time to go back to our house, but-"

"I'm not going that far away from Kurt right now," Blaine interjects. Evelyn almost smiles at how well she knows her son.

"I was just about to say that you probably wouldn't like that very much."

"I can take him back to the house. He can use on of our showers and stuff. And I'll make him eat 'cause I'm pretty sure he hasn't done that yet," Finn supplies. Blaine is suddenly relieved. The Hummel-Hudson house is an infinitely better option than his house an hour away.

"That's fine by me, just be back here in 2 and a half hours. Please," she says with a glance at her watch.

Blaine and Finn nod. They offer goodbyes and go, eager to leave the grief behind, if only for a moment.

* * *

><p>It is during his sixth test that Kurt Hummel realizes he harbors a deep disdain for hospitals.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

_I am entirely blown away by the feedback I've gotten for this story. It's insane, and I'm so glad you guys are connecting with this as much as I am. Thank you to every single one of you, for even reading this. I really appreciate it. I hope this chapter is worth the wait. _

_**Warning: **__This does center around main character rape. It doesn't go into graphic detail, but some chapters will go into mild detail._

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Glee nor do I own anything else you may recognize._

* * *

><p>Dave Karofsky is scared as hell. Two cops are sitting across from him in his living room, and he doesn't even know why they're here this time. The football scholarship he'd been offered was depending on a clean slate from here on out. He didn't dare mess that up.<p>

"Why are you here?" he blurts out. He's always had an issue with self-control. He eyes the tape recorder sitting on the coffee table. All they'd said to him thus far was that they had some questions, could they please come in, and would he mind if they recorded the conversation.

Now they just stared.

The pretty blonde chick is the first to speak.

"Could you state your name please?" she smiles, "Semantics."

"Oh, uh, David Karofsky?" It comes out as a question, and he wishes his hands would stop shaking.

"Do you know a one Kurt Hummel?" That is one burly dude, Dave decides. He shrugs.

"Yeah, I know him."

"How?"

"We go to the same school."

"How well do you know him? Can you tell us a bit about him?" This lady is too nice to be trusted.

"I don't know him too well. He's gay, I know that. Sings in the Glee club at school. Finn Hudson's his new stepbrother. I think he's into fashion, but that's just from the way he dresses. He's certainly not one to just shut up and follow the crowd." He worries about where this is going.

All the same, he sees their next question from a mile away.

"We have some reports of you and Kurt not getting along too well. Can you tell us about that?"

Part of him wants to spit back the sarcastic remark lurking on his tongue, but this whole thing freaks him out too much.

"At the beginning of this school year, I bullied him a lot- more than others. Shoved him into lockers, called him names, threatened him. I guess his willingness to show everybody exactly who he is pissed me off a lot. I was angry, so I took it out on Kurt."

"And how's that going? You still pushing him around?"

He feels kind of bewildered.

"No. When Kurt left McKinley, things kinda…I don't know, snapped into place for me. I knew it had to stop. I started focusing on my grades and football, even got a scholarship. When Kurt came back, I apologized. I'd screwed up, and I changed. We still don't really associate- ever. But it's civil."

He really doesn't know why they're bringing all this up again. He wonders briefly if something happened to Kurt, but before he can ask, they're shoving another question down his throat.

"Is that all the contact you've ever had with Kurt?" The dude has definitely taken over. Dave doesn't know what to say. "Think carefully before you answer. Lying to the police isn't the best way to keep a scholarship."

He gulps.

"I don't particularly know what-"

"Just answer the question, David. Have you only ever shoved Kurt Hummel into lockers, pushed him around, or was there something else?"

_That _memory tugs at his mind. He turns away.

"It's a real simple question, kid, and I suggest you answer it."

He can't.

"Answer the question!"

"Okay, fine! No, that's not all. A few months ago….I…I kissed Kurt in the locker room when he came chasing after me after I pushed him. I don't even know what I was thinking. I just did it. I was angry and confused and I just…reacted." Somehow, he feels a certain kind of weight lifted from his chest, like telling someone was all he ever needed.

He doesn't notice the way the detectives look at one another.

The woman takes over.

"So…you're gay, too?"

"Not…exactly. I don't really know."

"But you _do _have feelings for Kurt Hummel?"

Dave sighs. He looks tired.

"I…I guess you could say that. For a little while. Back then."

"Not now?"

"He's got a boyfriend. Some tiny dude from Dalton."

"That has nothing to do with _your_ feelings. Do you still like Kurt?" she looks more curious than anything. He feels remarkably uncomfortable. Something isn't right.

"I haven't given it much thought, to be honest. But I don't think so."

"Are you sure?"

"Not really?"

They guy steps in.

"Where were you on Thursday night and into early Friday morning?"

"I was working out at the gym until around 7. Then I cam home, did homework until 8, had dinner, and went to bed early, at like, 10. I slept until I woke up at eleven, since we didn't have any school yesterday."

This time, he catches them look at each other.

"What is all this about?"

"On Friday morning from approximately 1 to 3 am, Kurt Hummel became the victim of a hate crime. Do you have any way to corroborate your alibi, Mr. Karofsky?"

Dave Karofsky wants to throw something at the wall.

* * *

><p>The drive back to the Hummel-Hudson household is quiet, but it's nothing compared to the eerie silence lurking in the corners of the house itself. Blaine has never been here without Kurt, and he keeps expecting to hear his laugh or his voice, even his footsteps, <em>something <em>to make him feel normal again. He feels as though everything has shifted just slightly to the left as he stands there in the front foyer. Nothing is quite fitting. He doesn't know how to realign everything, but he has a feeling it involves Kurt, saving him.

"You can just use the bathroom off of Kurt's room. I figure that'd probably be better for you," Finn's voice and lopsided grin seem stark and out-of-place against the feeling Blaine has. Finn may be an idiot, but sometimes, Blaine's sure he just _gets _things in ways nobody else does. He nods, attempts a smile, and heads for the stairs.

"Hey, Blaine?"

He turns.

"Are you doing alright, man?"

An actual half smile.

"Yeah, Finn. I'm alright."

"Good."

* * *

><p>A nurse comes into the waiting room.<p>

"Family and friends of Kurt Hummel can go visit him again. His tests are complete." She smiles warmly then leaves.

Mercedes attempts to make a bee-line for his room, but Puck grabs on to her arm.

"Wait, Mercedes, there's something you need to know before you go in there."

She's obviously anxious and annoyed.

"_What, _Puck?"

He lets out a breath.

"He's not talking."

* * *

><p>When Kurt is put back in his room after testing, all he wants is to see Blaine walk through the door so he can curl into him and sleep or listen to him sing.<p>

What he gets is a freaking out Mercedes.

She engulfs him a suffocating hug that makes him cringe in pain, rambling on through tears in a way not even _he_ can understand. As soon as she releases him, he shoots her a quizzical look. She breathes, attempting to calm herself.

"I am so sorry that I didn't look out for you better, boo. I just love you. You're my best friend, and I don't now what I would do with you, and I cannot believe I let this happen. I should've walked you home myself that night instead of letting you go by yourself, I just thought you'd be okay. Whoever it was is getting taken to the carpet for real, though, boo. I swear it. I can't remember ever being so angry in my life. I'm just so sorry." The breathing doesn't work too well.

He doesn't have any words to say, so he simply takes her hand in his and wishes that people would stop blaming themselves.

* * *

><p>Puck wonders, momentarily, when he decided to step in as the one to hold everyone together.<p>

He realizes he didn't. It just kind of happened.

* * *

><p>Blaine had slowly made his way up the stairs to Kurt's bedroom. He'd forced himself to go straight into the bathroom rather than linger in his boyfriend's empty room. He showers in scorching water, relishing in the way it felt like he could burn off the memories and thoughts. He uses Kurt's shampoo, Kurt's conditioner, Kurt's body wash. He fills the steam with Kurt, hoping it might make him feel better.<p>

It doesn't.

He's fairly positive he begins crying as soon as the water hits his body, silent tears just trickling down his cheeks. They don't stop when he finally turns off the water, but they do become much more noticeable. He hates these tears.

He wraps a towel around his waist, then braces himself for everything _Kurt, _everything he knows and loves.

He chooses to focus.

He heads straight for the drawers. He opens his drawer, the one that holds some of his things from home, just in case. Boxers, dark wash skinny jeans, white t-shirt. Just after he pulls the shirt over his head, he goes to Kurt's closet, a remnant of what the boy at the hospital has left behind. He bites his tongue, clenching back tears, and grabs a Ralph Lauren cardigan off the hanger. He slips it onto his body, immediately remembering the way Kurt fell in love with this as soon as he saw it.

Blaine doesn't think he'd mind sharing.

* * *

><p>Rachel Berry does not spend much of her time fretting over other people. Sure, she cares about them even more than they realize, but she can't spend her time focusing on them if she's going to be a Broadway star by the age of 25. She has to keep plowing through, while taking time every now and then to focus on someone other than herself.<p>

She was sure that was the best plan.

Yet here she is. Slowly sinking into the soft material of the couch, her two gay dads looking on from the kitchen. With every word these detectives sing into her ears, her world starts to come apart. Her delicately woven plans, her self-serving nature, her resolve begins to crumble with one sentence. Her blood turned cold, her heart physically ached. She didn't know what to do.

"_Kurt Hummel has been raped."_

* * *

><p>The Warblers of Dalton Academy have been practicing for 3 hours. They're tired. Wes and David have been continually checking their phones, hoping to hear word of Kurt or Blaine, but the minutes tick by and they remain in limbo. So they throw themselves into rehearsal and perfection in true Warbler fashion, honestly believing it could make everything better.<p>

Kurt misses Blaine.

He sits silently in his hospital bed, listening to the swirl of voices surround him. It's a mixture of Mercedes' loud, need-to-be-heard alto to Puck's smooth baritone (why is he still here?), Evelyn's delicate hum, and his parents' flawlessly entwining sound of comfort Kurt has grown accustomed to. It's an odd mix of individuals, ones he wouldn't expect. They (Mercedes) try to urge him into speaking every so often, and Kurt misses the quiet acceptance of Blaine's songs and made-for-TV movies.

He settles on observing.

The way Puck sits next to him with his hands folded on the bed, very silently telling Kurt he's there for when Blaine isn't. He shoots Kurt glances out of the corners of his eyes every so often, as if making sure he hasn't disappeared.

The way Mercedes sits on his other side, falling easily into a conversation with Puck that she could've had anywhere. He sees a sort of sadness in her eyes that he hasn't seen on her before. In her blue skinny jeans, pink tank top, and zebra print zip-up she looks just like she always does. He almost expected her to come in dressed like a normal human, but she didn't, and he's grateful.

His parents are quietly leaning on one another as they stand there. He feels like if they separated, they'd both fall over. His father is worried to no end, and Carole is trying to maintain a small smile on her lips, but it falters every now and then, and Kurt's stomach drops at the same time.

And Evelyn, professional as always, stands straight and stiff, clutching her phone like a lifeline and glancing out the window stuck in the wall every few seconds.

They all sit or stand here together, trying their very hardest to make him feel normal while silently willing him to just speak up already. They're scared and worried and trying not to show that to Kurt.

He misses Blaine.

* * *

><p>Blaine has been upstairs for an hour and a half before Finn decides to make sure he's not dead. He lumbers up the stairs, bringing the PB&amp;J he'd made with him, and goes to Kurt's door, knocking as lightly as he can before going in.<p>

Kurt's boyfriend is sitting on the bed, staring into the wall. His eyes are gleaming with wetness. His hands are shaking. He's wearing a black cardigan that Finn is sure belongs to Kurt. His curly hair is askew, flying in different directions, and Finn finds it odd that this is what he finds most unsettling.

He's never seen him without hair gel before. Not like this anyway.

He places the plate on the nightstand nearest Blaine. Slowly, he sits on the bed and waits for him to speak.

"I'm scared, Finn. Do you think that's okay…for me to be scared?" He sounds like his puppy died, and Finn feels awful. He places a big, comforting hand on Blaine's back.

"I'd be more worried if you weren't scared."

Blaine nods.

"I need him to be okay. I need him to talk, sing, laugh. I need to hear his voice. I need him to realize that he's strong enough to get through this. I have to help him help himself, just like I always do. But I don't know how this time, Finn. I don't know how." His voice cracks.

Finn is silent for a few moments, choosing his words carefully. Finally, he looks at Blaine.

"You love him. I don't even know if _you_ know just how much you love him, but I see it every day. You love him and would do anything for him. Better yet, you make him feel safe. You are someone, the only one, who completely understands him. And he loves you right back. You're just meant to be together, and I think that people like that always find ways to help each other."

They boy beside him smiles lightly, then reaches over and takes a bite out of the sandwich. Finn feels like it's some kind of victory.


	7. Chapter 7

_I actually went over a hundred reviews last chapter, which is completely and entirely insane. I am so, so grateful to you guys for sticking with this. I know it goes kind of slow, but it's such a delicate topic that I really am needing to take my time with it. I want to take it slow and give it the time it needs. But it'll pick up in the coming chapters. Thank you so much again for all you guys are doing for this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter._

_**Warning: **__This does center around main character rape. There is never a full on description, but there will be mild description in later chapters._

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Glee nor anything else you may recognize._

* * *

><p>It's when Rachel Berry is standing outside of Kurt's hospital room in her usual unicorn sweater, tiny green plaid skirt, knee highs, and black Mary Janes that the group silences. There's tears on her cheeks. She's been crying, and not in the notoriously fake way she usually does. Kurt can see it in her eyes. Slowly, silently, the room empties. Puck lingers for a moment, whispering something in Rachel's ear that makes all of the color drain immediately. He shoots Kurt a quick nod, then follows everyone else out into the hallway. Rachel rushed to his side.<p>

"Kurt! Noah just told me you haven't said a word since…since it happened. Kurt, you can't…I mean, I understand a big dramatic statement like a vow of silence. I've taken at least six in my lifetime because it always makes people listen more closely, but Kurt, don't you think this is going too far? Your voice is going to get ruined unless you use it, and the loss of a voice like yours would be tragic! A total loss to the entire musical theatre world. Kurt, your voice needs to be heard. You can't give up song!"

Kurt doesn't actually believe she's taken a breath since beginning her little speech. He wants nothing more than to shut her up, but when he opens his mouth to speak, he can't. Something inside of him lurches.

He's pretty sure her heart is in the right place anyway.

* * *

><p>When Blaine finally reenters Kurt's hospital room, wearing his black cardigan, he could cry he's so happy. Rachel had been making a valiant effort at making him talk, sing, <em>anything, <em>and he was shocked to never see her resolve break.

Kurt grins, and Blaine kisses the top of his head.

"Hey, babe," he shoots a smile Rachel's way, "Hey, Rach."

Constantly, Kurt is taken aback by the way Blaine fits so seamlessly into his life.

"You two are back together?" she practically shrieks.

They nod, identical grins gracing their lips.

"Nobody tells me anything," Rachel huffs, followed by a signature storm out.

"Is…she okay?"

Kurt shrugs, then pulls Blaine in quickly, wrapping his arms around his middle and burying his face in his chest. His boyfriend leans into the hug, sliding his arms around his shoulders. Kurt is pleased to find that even though he's wearing his cardigan, he still smells so distinctly of Blaine, with only a hint of Kurt hidden beneath.

"I'm sorry I left. I have to go meet with the police, so Mom had me go clean up. I definitely wasn't going to go all the way home just to shower though, so Finn took me to your house. I borrowed your favorite cardigan. I hope you don't mind," he explains. Kurt shakes his head quickly, "I just missed you."

Kurt nods, then hesitantly releases him. Blaine pushes a hair out of Kurt's eyes, his fingers lingering on his temple.

"I love you, you know that? I mean really really love you." He's suddenly so serious, looking directly into Kurt's eyes as if telling him the secret of the world. Kurt nods, signing back his usual 'I love you', and giving him a small smile, eyes shining with tears. Because there's a part of him that doesn't think he has ever heard anything so honest.

It is then that Blaine's mom comes in, a softness immediately coming to her golden eyes.

"Blaine, honey, it's time to leave. Detectives called again," she says, smiling gently at Kurt, "I'll see you soon, hun."

Kurt nods, and Blaine kisses his cheekbone.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, okay love?"

Another nod, one last hug, then Blaine is gone.

Kurt decides he really likes the way that cardigan looks on his boyfriend.

* * *

><p>Blaine feels his blood boil as soon as he sees those detectives again, but he shoves it down, clenching his fists tightly at his sides.<p>

"Ms. Anderson? This way pleases." Detective Jackson says tightly. Evelyn eyes her son.

"What about Blaine's information?"

"We'll get to that. But first, there's something about your client that you need to see."

"Something about Kurt?" Blaine's suddenly entirely aware, "What about him?"

"I don't…think it's entirely wise that you see this, son."

"I don't care what you think. If it's about Kurt, I deserve to know."

The two detectives look at one another, then look at Evelyn. She shrugs.

"He'll find out eventually," she says. Detective Moore mumbles something nobody else can hear, then leads them to an interrogation room near the back of the building. A file sits on the wooden table. The Andersons sit on one side, the detectives on the other. Detective Jackson sits, back ramrod straight, hands folded in her lap, and eyes strangely vacant. Detective Moore is the one who opens the file and pushes a picture across the table. Evelyn gasps, her hand at her mouth. Blaine grabs the picture stares at it.

"This new piece of evidence confirms that this was, in fact, a hate crime."

It is then that Blaine runs from the room and promptly throws up in a wastebasket in the hallway.

The picture flutters helplessly to the ground.

* * *

><p>The Warblers are sitting in their common room, taking a rest, when Wes's phone rings.<p>

"Hello?" He's frantic.

"Wes?"

"Uh, yeah. Who's this?"

"It's Finn."

"Hey, Finn! What's happening? Is everyone okay?" The Warblers have their ears perked, listening closely.

"Yeah, we're doing alright. I took Blaine back to my house to shower, and I forced him to eat something. Rachel and Mercedes from Glee club both came by today, so I think that was good for Kurt."

"Is he talking yet?" Hopeful. A sigh on the other end.

"Not a word."

Wes's face falls.

"Well, where's Blaine? How's he doing?"

"Blaine's actually at the police stations with his mom. She's taking on his case, you know. They should be back soon though."

"How does he seem?"

"Definitely shaken up. The whole situation scared him. I think part of it is how close he came to losing Kurt. He seems okay though. Better than last night, at least," Finn says. Wes nods.

"Well, that's good. As long as he's doing okay. You'll keep an eye on him while he's there for me?"

"Yeah, of course, man."

"Thanks, Finn."

"No problem. I should go now, man, make sure everyone's okay still."

"Alright. Thanks for calling."

"Sure thing."

"See ya later, Finn."

"Bye, Wes."

Wes hangs up the phone, then looks around at the Warblers.

"Let's go again, guys."

* * *

><p>Burt and Carole sit in Doctor McVey's office, waiting for her to return. All they know is that she wanted to see them. They wait for 15 minutes before she comes in, sitting down at her desk.<p>

"Mr. and Mrs. Hummel," she says with a sad smile, "Thank you for coming."

"Yes, of course." Carole. Polite as ever.

"You said you had something to say about my son." Burt is much more focused.

"Yes. I wanted you to know that the police have a copy of Kurt's file, so, medically wise, they have all they need. And Kurt should be just fine to go home in about a week. There'll be a lot of home care to do, but given the situation, I decided it would be best for him to return home as soon as possible."

"So, he'll be okay?"

A gentle smile.

"Yes, Mr. Hummel, your son is going to be just fine."

* * *

><p>Kurt is getting tired.<p>

By this time, Blaine still isn't back, but Santana and Brittany had shown up together not too long ago. Santana was furious, going off in rages in Spanish. Brittany simply walked in, a watery smile on her face, and handed Kurt a small stuffed penguin. It had a blue bowtie around its neck. She told him his name was Herbert and that he always made her feel better when she was sad.

Now they all surround him- Brittany clutching his hand while his other clutches Herbert, Santana leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, Puck on is other side, Finn sitting next to him, Rachel next to Brittany, and Mercedes sitting at the foot of his bed. Part of him is grateful they're here with him, laughing and joking like things are normal, but part of him is entirely overwhelmed.

By the people around him and the huge, silent elephant sitting in the room.

* * *

><p>"What in the <em>hell <em>do you mean you're not gonna do anything about it?" Blaine is furious.

These cops need to get their act together, he decides.

This kid has anger issues, Detective Moore decides.

They sigh.

"Kurt _told _me who did it. So go arrest the guy before he can screw with someone else's life!"

"For one thing, Kurt didn't actually _tell _you. He nodded when you asked him a question. For another thing…the pressure of you asking could've-"

"Are you insinuating that Kurt lied to me because he felt _pressured?_" Blaine interrupts. His voice is quiet, he speaks only through his clenched jaw. Evelyn watches on, trying silently to collect herself.

"Mr. Anderson. We already told you that we've collected DNA evidence and have sent it to the lab. Now, until those results come back or Kurt Hummel himself tells us that Ryan Stewart raped him, there is nothing we can do. It's not enough evidence." Detective Moore is attempting to reason with him. It's not working. There's silence. Then,

"I swear to you," his voice is deadly quiet, "if that bastard touches another _hair _on Kurt's head while you're sitting around waiting for _evidence_, you will find yourselves up to your necks in law suits faster than you can even _get_ your damn test results."

And he storms out.

Evelyn clears her throat, grabs her suitcase, and stands.

"Well, I think we're done here."

* * *

><p>"Blaine, dear, you need to eat."<p>

He pushes a fry around on his plate.

"I'm not hungry."

"You're acting like a five-year-old. Come on. You've barely eaten anything in two days, plus you just puked your guts out. You need to eat," she says, a stern look in her eyes. Blaine looks at her directly as he shoves the fry in his mouth.

"Thank you."

They continue in silence, Blaine taking bites of his grilled cheese every now and then, Evelyn eating her soup.

"I just don't get it. Is it even legal for them to discount things like this?"

"Unfortunately, yes. In the grand scheme of things, this isn't enough evidence, but I agree with you. He should've been arrested."

Her son is an open book, and she does her best to ignore the pain swimming in his eyes.

"I don't want Kurt to have to afraid anymore, mom." His voice quivers. She takes one of his hands in both of hers.

"Listen, Blaine, I know you love him. You want to do everything you can to help him- I get that. But you cannot put it on yourself to fix this. You can do everything you can to help Kurt and help the police, but in the end, Kurt needs to help himself, and the police need to do their job. You're just one boy, honey. So just…keep loving Kurt, okay? Keep being there for him and loving him because right now, that's what he needs the most- your love."

Blaine nods and takes another bite, wondering when, exactly, he started needing so much reassurance.

* * *

><p>"We still need to talk to Kurt Hummel, you know," Detective Jackson says, rising from her seat.<p>

"I know."

"Why don't we go now then?"

"Let's just…let's finish with the friends today. We'll go talk to him and those two teachers tomorrow."

Truth is, Detective Moore is pretty sure Blaine needs a bit of time with him before they even attempt pulling him away.

* * *

><p>When Blaine makes it back to the hospital, it's late afternoon. While his mom heads off to talk to Brad, her Assistant District Attorney, about the whole case, Blaine goes straight to Kurt's room, smiling when he sees so many of his friends crowded into the room.<p>

"Now, Kurt. You didn't tell me we were having guests. I would've cleaned the place up a bit," he comments easily with a brilliant grin and a wink. Kurt immediately brightens and beckons Blaine.

"Wait, Kurtiepie, are you and Blainey Bear not fighting anymore?" Brittany looks like Christmas came early that year.

"Yeah, Britt, we're not fighting anymore," Blaine is all smiles as he catches Brittany in her over-excited hug, and Kurt does the same, going so far as to let out a quiet chuckle.

"Lord Tubbington is going to be so happy. Your fight has put him in a very sad place."

"Well, I'm very glad we could bring Lord Tubbington back from sinking into a hole of depression."

As Blaine takes his spot next to Kurt on the bed, his arm wrapped securely around his shoulders, easily falling into place in Kurt's group of friends, he feels, for the first time, like his life isn't balancing on the edge of a cliff, but is instead planted firmly in the midst of solid ground.


	8. Chapter 8

_This is definitely the longest chapter so far, and a lot happens. It was difficult to write because it was so emotionally draining to me, but it's also one of my favorites thusfar. I just hope that y'all enjoy it. And thank you so so much for all of the feedback. The reviews, the favoriting, the alerts...seriously, thank you so much. I really appreciate it, and I hope this is worth it!_

_**Warning: **This does center around main character rape. There is never an in depth description, but some chapters do contain mild description._

**_Disclaimer: _**_I do not own Glee nor anything else you may recognize._

* * *

><p>Quinn Fabray tries her best not to get attached to people. It ends up making everything in life much stickier. But she can't deny the fact that all the other students in New Directions have somehow pushed their way into her life. They mean a lot to her, some more than others, but overall, they all mean <em>something<em>. She supposes it has to do with the fact that those eleven friends of hers have been there for her when even her own parents turned their backs. They understand her in the most incredible ways.

She loves them, as much as she hates to admit it.

As she sits silently on her couch, ignoring her phone which has been going off for the past hour, she can still see those two detectives sitting across from her. Forced softness in their eyes, pretending to care. They give her news that makes her heart clench and the whole world suddenly seems muted, as though she's being held underwater. She's not sure how to feel because she's never had to feel this way. She hears their words echoing all around her and everything is cold.

When Noah Puckerman is suddenly standing in front of her, she barely reacts.

"Kurt is in the hospital."

It comes out mildly muffled through the underwater fog.

"I know."

"Then why aren't you there with him?" he demands. Quinn doesn't respond. Puck sits directly in front of her, on the coffee table. Their knees are touching.

"You know he hasn't spoken a single word since it happened?"

The water drains away. Quinn's jaw is tight.

"Not a single damn word."

She's shaking.

"Quinn, you care about him. I know you do. He is hurting right now, more than any of us can understand. He's hurting, and he needs us to be there for him. Half the Glee club is already there. He needs all of us. Now, I'm on my way to get Artie and Lauren, and it'd be really good if you could come with me."

She is silent, eyes swimming with tears. Puck places a soft hand on her knee.

"Please. Kurt needs you."

Slowly, she nods, and follows Puck out the door.

* * *

><p>The Warblers have stopped rehearsing for the day and are sitting together at a local diner, planning out the details for their surprise.<p>

It's happening on Monday.

* * *

><p>By the time the sun sets, Burt and Carole have left the hospital in a flurry of goodbyes. Evelyn followed shortly after, giving Blaine and Kurt one more night together. Blaine had persuaded Kurt into eating the burger, fries, and milkshake that Puck snuck in with him upon his return from retrieving Quinn, Artie, and Lauren. Mike and Tina had arrived soon after, followed closely by an extremely flustered Sam. The small room was completely full of teenagers, being much too loud for the staff's liking, but Kurt didn't mind. He watched in silence as laughter filled the room, leaning against his boyfriend's broad chest, feeling the rumble of his voice against his back. The entire group interacted seamlessly with one another, weaving themselves together in a delicate, but tough pattern.<p>

Kurt smiles a wide smile. A warmth expands within his chest as he considers the fact that every single one of them is here for him. To comfort him, make him feel happy, take his mind off of what happened. He absently plays with Blaine's fingers and lets this feeling wash over him- contentment.

* * *

><p>As they leave the house of the last friend of Kurt Hummel's from McKinley High School, the two detectives look at one another briefly before getting in their car. They drive in silence until Detective Moore clears his throat.<p>

"Jackson? You sure you can handle this?"

"Of course. It's all just part of the job."

"Yeah, but working at the LPD doesn't usually mean cases like this. I've seen a few, but I've been at it for years. You're still new to the force. I can easily call someone else on if you need me to."

"Moore. I'm fine. I can handle it."

The car is silent again after that.

* * *

><p>That night, Detective Kent Moore doesn't dream, and he's relieved, because he worries about seeing torn porcelain skin or broken, tear-filled hazel eyes, and he's not sure he could handle that.<p>

* * *

><p>As the hours creep by, students from New Directions slowly trickle out of room 203 at Lima General Hospital. Mike and Tina are first, offering smiles and well wishes before walking out the door. Brittany clings to Kurt before reluctantly following Santana. Sam hugs Kurt quickly, then leaves, trying not to let the situation get to him so much. Rachel and Mercedes leave together with the promise of returning the next day. Lauren, Artie, and Puck leave sometime later, Puck offering a clap on Kurt's shoulder and a short nod to Blaine, leaving Finn and Quinn. The four of them sit together until the nurse comes to tell him visiting hours are over. Finn hugs them both quickly. Quinn waves to Blaine, then offers Kurt a hug, lingering for a moment. She pulls back with tears in her eyes. She takes Kurt's hand.<p>

"I'm sorry I didn't come earlier, Kurt, I just…I got scared."

He smiles and shakes his head, giving her hand a tight squeeze. She lets a relieved smile grow across her lips. She drops his hand and follows Finn out the door who gently drapes his arm across her shoulders. Blaine smiles.

"I'm glad she came."

Kurt offers a quiet hum in agreement.

Blaine turns the TV on and gives Kurt the remote, who flips until he settles on the Food Network.

"Do you want me to turn the light off?"

Kurt hesitates, thinking to himself. He looks around the room and assures himself that it's only him and Blaine, then he nods. Blaine gets up and turns the light off. He slides out of his jeans and into the sweatpants Puck brought him earlier, folding them carefully onto the chair next to the bed, along with Kurt's cardigan. He returns quickly and climbs into bed. He tucks the blankets around them and pulls Kurt against him, Kurt letting his head rest against Blaine's chest. Blaine slips his fingers through Kurt's chestnut hair slowly and softly.

Kurt feels that feeling of contentment spreading through him once again, pushing a smile on his face and letting his eyes droop slowly closed.

He doesn't think about the fact that the ease with which he communicates silently with Blaine is fooling him into believing he'll never really need to speak again.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Evelyn dresses in her very best red dress and black flats and goes to Sunday mass for the first time since the day her husband left her. She bows her head and prays.<p>

She believes Kurt Hummel could use all the help he can get.

* * *

><p>Detective Moore eats breakfast with his wife and then heads to the station. Detective Jackson is already there, bright-eyed and ready to go.<p>

"So, off to the hospital?" she asks expectantly. He sighs and takes a sip from his coffee.

"Let's talk to those two teachers first. Then we'll finish the day off with Kurt," he says. She shrugs and leads the way to the car. He tries not to think about the fact that he rarely uses first-names-only when it comes to victims in the cases he works on.

* * *

><p>Kurt has another nightmare that night. He wakes up in tears and sweat, clinging to Blaine's arms so tightly, his nails have drawn blood. Blaine is all concern, flipping the light on quickly then returning and pulling Kurt into his lap. His tears are soaking Blaine's white t-shirt. He's shaking and frantically trying to find the sound of Blaine's heartbeat through his sobs. His boyfriend is holding him close, rubbing his back and sliding his fingers through his hair. He's singing Katy Perry quietly. Kurt finds his heartbeat and holds onto it, listening to it beat quickly.<p>

He tries his best to breathe as he listens, memorizing the sound thrumming in his ears.

He begins the slow process of replacing bitter brown with molten hazel, searching hands with claming fingertips, and harsh, bruising lips with gentle touches. He works until it's Blaine behind his eyelids and not nightmares. The tears come to a slow stop, and then tension slips from Kurt's body as he slides back into sleep, this time dreamless and peaceful.

For the second night in a row, Blaine does not fall back asleep. He says awake until he sees those toogrey eyes again, unable to get the sound of Kurt's screams out of his head.

* * *

><p>"Are you William Schuester?" Detective Jackson asks. The young teacher at the doorway furrows his brow, but nods.<p>

"May we come in? We have a few questions regarding one of your students."

"O-of course," he says, opening his door wide enough for them to enter. They sit down on his couch, he sits on a chair.

"Which student?" he asks, "What's happened?"

Detective Moore sighs.

"On early Friday morning, Kurt Hummel was attacked. It was a hate crime, and it landed him in the hospital for the next week."

Will blanches and runs a hand down the length of his face.

"Oh my…is he okay?"

"Last time we checked, his condition is stable, and he'll be released on Saturday."

"Do you know who did it?"

"Not yet. That's why we've come to you," Jackson begins, "We've been told you're his Glee club teacher, so he spends a lot of time around you, and we've also heard that you look out for him a lot."

"Yeah, as much as I can," he says. He appears to be in shock. The two detectives glance at one another, and Detective Moore pulls out his small notebook.

"You look pretty shaken up, Mr. Schuester."

"I am. It's…Kurt's always been teased in school, and the bullying got pretty bad. But when he transferred back from Dalton Academy a couple of months ago, he and his tormentor seemed to make amends. I thought things were getting better, but I guess not," he explains, his face pale.

"So you didn't notice anyone bully him specifically?" she asks softly. Moore's got to hand it to her- she handles the friends and family rather well. Will lets out a long breath.

"Well, I saw some football kids go at him once, or try to. And then I saw one of the same kids throw some names at him a few days later. In fact, I saw him do it a few times."

"Can you tell us his name?"

"Uhm…" he ponders for a second, hand under his chin and elbow resting on his knee. He sits up quickly a few moments later. "Ryan. Ryan Stewart. He's in my Spanish class. Never passes a single test."

Detective Moore's blood runs cold. He almost regrets not arresting the kid yesterday when Blaine told them to.

"Ryan Stewart?" Detective Jackson clarifies. Schuester nods.

"Yeah."

"Anyone else?"

"Not specifically."

"And how is Kurt in school?"

"Oh, he's a great student. Straight-As. He always tries his best. He's at the top of his class, teachers love him. He always does well in every class. He's one of the best singers and dancers we have in Glee club, and that's where he really flourishes. He loves it in there. That's where all of his friends are, and they all love him, we all do. He's a great kid."

"It sounds like you really care about him," Detective Jackson's soft voice cuts in. Will smiles softly.

"I care about all the kids in Glee club a lot. They're fantastic kids. I can't believe something like this happened to any of them." He pauses, then looks at them. "Please find who did this."

"We will, Mr. Schuester. I can promise you that."

This time, it's Detective Moore, and even _he _doesn't understand why the words left his mouth.

"Thank you."

The 3 stand, and Will shakes their hands. Detective Jackson hands him a card and asks him to call them with any other information. He promises he will and closes the door behind them, sliding down to the ground and clutching the card tightly in his fist.

He just doesn't understand.

* * *

><p>Finn stops by the hospital early that afternoon with another pair of jeans and a t-shirt for Blaine.<p>

"I went through Kurt's drawers until I found yours," he explains sheepishly, "I hope this is okay."

Kurt rolls his eyes, and Blaine chuckles, strangely touched by the gesture.

"I also brought food!" he exclaims, setting the clothes on the bed and holding up a bag from Kurt's secretly favorite Mexican restaurant. Kurt smiles and uses sign language to say 'thank you'. Finn's eyebrows furrow.

"Uh…what does that mean?"

"It means thank you," Blaine interprets with a grin. Finn breaks out into a smile.

"Oh! That makes sense. You're welcome."

Kurt rolls his eyes again and sits up, leaning against the pillows next to Blaine. They pull the table attached to the bed up to their laps, and Finn places the bag of food on top of it. They start eating, and Finn smiles briefly, his eyes bright.

"Well, Mom wanted me to be back home soon. Something about cleaning the house and errands. I have a feeling it's gonna be a long day," he says lightly. Kurt nods and waves with a small smile through his full mouth. Finn and Blaine are equally relieved that it didn't take Kurt as long to start eating on his own accord as it's taking him to speak.

"Thanks again for the food, Finn. We'll see you later?"

"Yeah, probably. Mom and Dad are coming by later, so I'll probably come with them." Blaine nods with a grin.

"Okay. Thanks for coming…and for brining me more clothes."

Finn laughs.

"No problem, man. See ya guys later!" he calls over his shoulder as he leaves the room.

The two left eat quietly, Blaine making comments here and there, then push the table away and turn the TV back on, flipping through channels until they find a movie station. Kurt is grateful for Blaine's constant companionship as he toys with his fingers. He always knows what to do. And right now, Kurt could use all of that he can get.

* * *

><p>Detective Kent Moore quickly comes to the conclusion that Sue Sylvester is the most terrifying person he's ever met. When they explain what happened, she throws a trophy at the wall then screams something about her sweet, sweet porcelain. Then she sits down and tells them that Kurt Hummel was one of the best Cheerios she ever had, and that those idiot football jocks went too far this time. They ask her, and the same name pops up. The one that makes Detective Moore's stomach drop.<p>

Ryan Stewart.

* * *

><p>Evelyn sits across from Brad at a table in a quiet deli. She takes a sip of her iced tea and looks at him. He's staring with his eyebrows raised.<p>

"What?" she asks.

"I think it's time you actually tell me about this case we've apparently taken on," he says as he takes a bite of his sandwich. She sighs.

"Well, it's a bit different from our usual cases."

"How do you mean?"

"For one thing, the victim isn't dead. He was…raped and beaten. It was a hate crime. He's been in the hospital since Friday morning when he was brought in on the brink of death. He'll be in until Saturday," she explains. Brad eyes her carefully.

"And what's the victim's name? How old is he? Do we have the perpetrator in custody yet? And why, may I ask, are we taking on the case of a hate crime victim?"

"He's 17-years-old. No, he's not in custody yet. Technically, we don't even know who did it. We're taking it on because it needs to be handled by someone like us."

"You've managed to answer everything except his name." Brad is getting suspicious. This is the part Evelyn was worried about.

"Kurt Hummel," she states, "the hate crime was because of his sexuality."

Brad halts and places his sandwich down. He looks directly at Evelyn. She holds her ground.

"Isn't Kurt Hummel your son's boyfriend?"

"Yes."

"Ev, you know we're not supposed to take on cases we could be emotionally invested in. What if you're called as a witness for the defense? Do you know how this could look?"

"Listen, Brad, I get where you're coming from. You don't think I thought about all that? But the bottom line is that Kurt Hummel was raped, beaten, and left for dead. This guy carved the word 'faggot' into his stomach." Brad flinches, "He hasn't spoken a single word since it happened. It's possible that he will never speak again. If he's not able to testify, he's going to need some damn good lawyers, and that's us. Even if he does testify, he needs me, he needs _us_. I've known Kurt for a while now, and I understand how things usually work, but Brad, I'm going to be Kurt Hummel's lawyer. I'm going to put whomever did this to him behind bars for as long as possible. Now, I would love it if you would help me do this, but if you don't want to, tell me now, and I'll find someone else."

For as long as he's known her, Brad has never seen Evelyn so passionate about anything. Her eyes are bright and full of determination. She's leaning forward gently across the table. She's searching his eyes for an answer. He softens.

"Of course I'll help you. What's your strategy?"

"That's more like it."

* * *

><p>Detective Moore is anxious. He's on his way to room 203 to take Kurt Hummel's statement. So far, things haven't gone so well, and who knows how this will go? All he can do is hope that Kurt will tell them what happened, who did it, then they can arrest the guy and get on with this. He doesn't know how much longer he can keep this up.<p>

When they get to the room, they see Kurt Hummel curled silently into Blaine Anderson's lap, eyes drooping slightly as he watches some TV show. He's tracing the veins in Blaine's hand, and looks up quickly when the hand balls into a tight fist. He sees the two detectives and pushes himself closer to Blaine's chest. His arm wraps protectively around his waist.

Detective Moore clears his throat. Detective Jackson takes the reigns.

"Hello Kurt, Blaine," she greets amicably. Blaine eyes her.

"Hi."

Kurt doesn't respond. He has his ear shoved against Blaine's chest.

"We need to talk to Kurt about what happened," she tells them gently. He squeezes his eyes closed. Blaine cocks an eyebrow.

"Then talk."

"Blaine," she begins carefully, "we're going to need to talk to Kurt alone. This is an official LPD investigation. When we're getting the victim's statement, the only other person who can be in the room is their lawyer."

"I don't see his lawyer anywhere," Blaine says. Detective Moore knew this was going to happen.

"He doesn't _need _a lawyer. It's not like he's under arrest or anything like that."

"So? You said his lawyer could be here. Thus, until she gets here, I'm not going anywhere." His arm tightens around Kurt's waist. Detective Moore heaves a sigh and looks to Detective Jackson, who appears to be incredibly annoyed.

"Let's go call the DA," he suggests and leads them out.

Kurt doesn't stop shaking.

* * *

><p>When Evelyn arrives, she brings Brad with her, deciding that he needs to see the case up-close sooner rather than later. She greets the detectives and follows them into the room. Kurt and Blaine are tangled up in each other. They're just barely able to hear the quiet sound of Blaine's singing floating across the room. Brad takes one look at the two of them and sighs.<p>

"Aw, shit," he mumbles. Evelyn barely acknowledges him. She's too busy attempting to figure out a way to get her son out of the room. He looks at her with pleading eyes, tears gleaming. She bites her lip and shakes her head gently. His eyes close briefly, then he whispers something in Kurt's ear. It causes his eyes to snap open, and his fingers to clutch at the blue fabric of the Dalton Academy t-shirt Finn had brought him. Blaine leans his forehead against his boyfriend's.

"Kurt, baby, I have to go, okay? The police have to talk to you without me. But I promise you, I'll come back in as soon as they leave, and my mom and Brad will stay in here the whole time, okay? But I have to go. I wish I didn't, but I do."

He gently works his shirt free of Kurt's grasp and quickly slides off the bed. Kurt whimpers softly. Blaine pulls on his shoes, then touches his lips to his forehead.

"I love you like a starfish loves the salty water," he whispers with a crooked half-smile, rubbing his thumb along Kurt's cheekbone. Evelyn recognizes it from the song he was singing when they came in. Kurt is terrified, but offers a weakly signed 'I love you' in return.

"That's my Kurt," Blaine murmurs, "I'll be back soon, alright, love?"

He nods weakly and kisses Blaine's cheek. He smiles, then stands up, glaring at the two detectives in turn and walking to stand in front of his mom.

"Make sure he's okay for me?"

"Always."

He nods, then leaves the room, closing the door behind him and collapsing to the ground in a heap, burying his face in his hands.

He wants to know what's going on in that room.

* * *

><p>Burt doesn't know how he's going to tell his extended family what happened. So he doesn't. Not yet. He spends the day in his car shop, throwing himself into his work and trying not to think about his actual life. Blaine is with Kurt, and he'll be okay. He can trust that…for right now. He's pretty sure that sooner or later, he'll be storming the halls of the hospital, demanding to know how his son is doing, but right now, he's okay to be okay with it.<p>

* * *

><p>Carole loves her family more than anything else in the world. She wants them to be happy, she wants them to be okay. So she holds herself together in order to hold them together, and when each day ends without Burt breaking down or Finn throwing a chair or Kurt's condition suddenly dropping, she sees that it's all worth it.<p>

* * *

><p>Noah Puckerman sat in his truck for two hours, the keys dangling uselessly from the ignition, trying to decide whether or not to go to the hospital.<p>

In the end, he pulls out his keys, goes back inside, and reads a book he doesn't understand.

* * *

><p>The detectives have been trying to get Kurt Hummel to talk for the last hour. The thing is, no one told them he hadn't spoken a single word since he'd been here. They were entirely unprepared.<p>

"Kurt? Can you tell us what happened early Friday morning?" Jackson asks gently for the tenth time, as though repetition would make him respond. He slides deeper into the bed, his mouth in a tight line. He's staring blankly at the door. Memories are flashing through is mind, but he's desperately trying to keep them away.

Evelyn and Brad stand quietly in the corner. His hand is on the small of her back. She has tears shining in her eyes.

"Kurt, you've gotta talk, kid. At least tell us who did it." Detective Moore is trying his best not to sound as desperate as he feels. He's willing this kid to talk. Something flashes in his bluegrey eyes. Then, slowly, he turns his back on the detectives and curls into himself, his eyes squeezed closed.

They look at one another, sigh, and Detective Jackson decides to take over again.

"We know this is hard for you, but if you could please just go back to that night this once and tell us what happened, it will make this whole process much simpler."

Kurt shakes his head softly, and a few tears squeeze out of his eyes. His body is shaking slightly.

Jackson chooses then to do something rather risky.

"It was about 12:30 at night," she begins. Detective Moore eyes her. He wants to tell her to stop because she's about to use details they're not quite sure of yet, but he can't. Kurt stiffens. "You were just finishing up hanging out with Rachel Berry, Mercedes Jones, and Quinn Fabray, and you were on your way to your car. But you never got there, did you?"

Kurt's head is rushing. He squeezes his eyes closed as tightly as he can, the tears streaming down his cheeks. He feels his blood go cold. He tries to remember the sound of Blaine's heartbeat thrumming rhythmically in his ears.

"It was pitch dark outside. Getting chilly. You were walking quickly to get to your car. Maybe you felt like someone was following you."

He had.

"The hair stands up on the back of your neck. You can almost see your car. The sidewalk is only lit every now and then with a street lamp. The shops are closed. You hear footsteps behind you, so you speed up. So do they. They're chasing you now. You run past your car because you can't get your keys fast enough. They're gaining on you."

Thumpthumpthump, thumpthumpthump, thump, thumpthumpthump, thumpthumpthump, thump. Over and over. He holds onto the sound. He chokes back sobs. He concentrates on Blaine's heartbeat, letting it override the sound of the woman's voice.

He hates this so much.

"They grab you, pull you into an alley. You see their face, don't you? What do they look like? How does it feel to have their hands all over you? Are you scared? Who is it, looming over you in the darkness?"

The sobs are wracking his entire body now. He hears Blaine's heartbeat thudding loudly in his ears, but it's mixing with the sound of thick whispers and disgusting names. Crazed brown eyes are prominent behind his eyelids. His voice is taking over his mind. The night is back again, and it becomes his reality. Hands rough all over him, tearing his clothes, exposing him. He's crying, screaming.

"No!" he screams as loud as he can, "No, no, _no, _don't touch me! Get away, please! Let me go, just please, please _let me go_." He's sobbing uncontrollably, his whole body is shaking.

Suddenly, there's arms around him, and he fights against them because he's too constrained. He needs to get away from here- he has to get away.

But the arms are pulling him into a lap, holding him flush against a smooth, warm chest. He hears a familiar sound pounding against his ear, and he latches onto it. There's a new, softer voice in his ear, thick with tears and concern.

"Kurt, love, I'm not going to hurt you. I promise, no one's going to hurt you again. I'm here, and you're not alone. I love you, baby. I love you, and I'm not going to hurt you, okay? You're not there anymore, babe. You're not there. I'm Blaine, not someone who's going to hurt you. It's okay. Everything's okay now."

Slowly, the voice becomes clearer, and Kurt begins to understand the words being delicately strung into his ear. He melts into the embrace, surrounds himself with the familiar scent and comes out from the world his mind created from memory. Body trembling, voice dripping with tears, he presses his lips to Blaine's ear and speaks the first words he's consciously spoken in days, barely loud enough for Blaine to hear.

"I love you."


	9. Chapter 9

_I am so sorry for the time it's taken for this chapter to happen. I'm also sorry that it's not very long, and also not too eventful, except for the end, but I can't spoil anything!_

_Anyway, I truly thank you all once more for your reviews, your messages, your alerts, and your favorites. It's amazing to see my inbox explode every time I post a new chapter. I hope y'all enjoy this one, too!_

_**Warning: **__This does center around main character rape. There is never an in-depth description, but there will be mild description in some chapters._

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Glee nor anything else you may recognize._

* * *

><p>Detective Moore watches Detective Jackson shatter Kurt Hummel. Evelyn Anderson's hand flies to her mouth as the screams escape his lips. Jackson stands up in surprise. Blaine slams the door open, tears falling from his eyes as soon as he sees his boyfriend sobbing, shaking, screaming with his eyes screwed shut.<p>

"What did you do?" he screams as he rushes to the bed. He climbs in and gathers Kurt into his arms, who fights against his hold at first. Blaine is doing his best to bring him back to reality. The two detectives are staring on in shock. Evelyn has tears tracking her cheeks at a rapid speed, Brad has his arm around her waist and his other hand running through her hair, trying to calm her down. Kurt's still losing it; Blaine's on the boarder.

Kent Moore is wondering where the hell all the nurses are.

As son as Kurt's screams subside, Blaine's eyes turn on them, shooting daggers.

"You two, get the hell out."

"Blaine I-" Jackson tries to begin. He doesn't let her.

"I don't give a damn! Get the hell out!" he's yelling, but they're not moving, "Out, dammit! Did you not hear me? You just nearly made him lose his mind. Get out before you do it again. _Now._"

A nurse suddenly appears at the doorway. She takes in the scene and becomes immediately cautious.

"Is there a problem? I heard screaming."

"These two _detectives _just forced your patient into a mental breakdown. Thankfully, I've got him calmed down, for the most part. But if they don't leave, there's going to be a much bigger problem on your hands."

The tears are still trickling down his cheeks. He looks a mess.

"I'm going to need to ask you two to leave," the nurse states as calmly as possible.

Detective Moore couldn't get out fast enough.

* * *

><p>As he watches the scene unfold before his eyes, Brad Macintosh believes more than ever that letting Evelyn get involved is a terrible idea. However, much more than that, he fully understands why the two of them have to be a part of this case.<p>

* * *

><p>When Blaine finally hears Kurt's smooth voice, his chest is flooded with relief. He's not sure what this means, if it's Kurt saying he's ready to talk or simply him needing to say those words. Either way, he doesn't care. He only buries his face into Kurt's neck and lets his tears fall silently, kissing the smooth skin hesitantly.<p>

Kurt closes his eyes and leans into the touch, reveling in his reality. All he can hear is Blaine's muffled tears and his own breathing and the fading remnant of a heartbeat in the back of his mind.

* * *

><p>Evelyn cannot remember a time when she's been as furious as she is now. She can't see straight, and her pulse is racing. Her skin feels like it's on fire. Brad is speaking, but she doesn't register what he's saying. She keeps moving, stopping only when she sees them standing with the doctor in the waiting room.<p>

"I have half a mind to sue your ass for what you just pulled in there."

Her voice is dripping in anger, finger pointing directly at Detective Jackson. She looks terrified, yet she's attempting to appear put together.

Brad has given up.

"Miss Anderson, she was only-"

"I don't want to hear whatever bullshit excuse you're about to throw out. My client was brutally raped and beaten 3 days ago. Did you really expect to walk in there to see him bright-eyed and just waiting to spill his guts and tell you everything that happened that night?"

"No, of course not, but-"

"No, you listen to me," she begins, voice deadly quiet, hazel eyes blazing. She takes a few steps forward until she is standing directly in front of Detective Jackson, "Kurt Hummel is already halfway to losing his mind. He is emotionally shattered, and is just trying to hold himself together and figure out how to keep going. You just nearly cost him his sanity, not to mention the fact that he's the only person who's ever going to tell the truth about what happened that night. Kurt will talk when he's ready to, and you are _not _going to push him into it. If you _ever _pull something like that again, you will find yourself jobless and drowning in lawsuits. Are we clear?"

All she can do is not.

"Perfect. Now, if you'll excuse me."

And she's gone.

Detective Jackson truly didn't know that a 5'1" woman could be so terrifying.

* * *

><p>Carole, Burt, and Finn arrive sometime later. Blaine has fallen asleep, and Kurt is nearly there himself. He forces himself awake when he sees his family and conjures up a smile. They smile back.<p>

"Long day?" Carole asks. Kurt nods with a small smile as looks at Blaine, his head resting on his chest, and he runs his fingers affectionately through the mass of dark curls. Burt softens, and Finn falls into a chair, not even bothering to remove the pile of clothes sitting on it. As he eyes his parents, Kurt can see apprehension on their faces, but they cover it quickly.

"Yeah, me too," Finn breaks in, "Mom had me running all over the place, getting groceries, which is probably the most confusing thing in the world, by the way, and getting the cars washed and dry cleaning. It was insane. I don't know how she does it everyday."

Kurt chuckles softly at his brother's incessant confusion.

They chat idly, Burt and Carole both slipping into chairs as well. Kurt listens intently as they tell him about their days, Finn's dread at returning to school the next day, and Burt's talk about the car shop. They talk about what they'll do when Kurt's able, where they'll go. Kurt lets himself breathe, hums of agreement of quiet laughs slipping from his lips every now and then. He grins to himself as Blaine's arms wrap tighter around his waist, and his face presses itself firmly into the crook of his neck.

Eventually, his family senses his exhaustion and offer their goodbyes, kisses on the forehead, ruffles of the hair, and Kurt lays his cheek against the top of Blaine's head. His arms around his shoulders, and a ghost of a smile on his lips, he falls quickly into a deep sleep that he won't wake from until the nightmares plague him once more.

* * *

><p>"Do you really think it was wise to threaten the detective with a lawsuit?" Brad asks in amusement as he pulls up in front of the Anderson home. Evelyn scoffs.<p>

"She had it coming. I'm so sick of their crap."

He shakes his head with a grin.

"Thanks for being there today," she offers after a few moments of comfortable silence.

"That's what I'm here for."

She nods, smiles, then gets out of the car, leaning quickly into the open window.

"See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow."

He makes sure she gets inside safely before he drives away, the smallest of smiles decorating his lips.

* * *

><p>Blaine wakes up to being gently shaken, the nurse from earlier looming over him. Her eyes are gentle.<p>

"Visiting hours are over, honey."

"Oh, uh, okay. Thanks."

She nods and leaves the room quietly. Blaine carefully detaches himself from Kurt and slides out of the bed. Immediately, Kurt curls into himself on his side and furrows his brow slightly in his sleep. Blaine lets out a low breath and pulls on his shoes. He leans down and kisses his boyfriend's smooth temple firmly. He drinks in the way the moonlight lays across his cheekbones, lighting his tousled chestnut hair. He's as beautiful as ever, but Blaine doesn't think he'll ever get used to the black and purple around his eye, the cut on his cheek, the bandages on his body. His heart clenches at the sight of him, and he wishes with all his heart that he could make everything go away.

Instead, he presses his lips to Kurt's softly as he sleeps, relishing in the way his smooth lips still feel against his own. He pulls away and the leaves the room, shuffling quickly down the hallway and desperately holding back his tears.

When he gets back to the waiting room, he's met by Finn and his huge, crooked smile.

"I was wondering when you'd wake up," he comments lightly.

"Uh, yeah, a nurse came and got me. Why are you here?"

"Oh, well, the doctor told us what happened earlier with Kurt's mental freakout, and you seem to be the only one who can calm him down. So, my parents thought that maybe you should stay at our house until Kurt comes home, just in case he needs you. They already talked to your mom, and she said she'd work it out with Dalton and all that."

Blaine nods and smiles a bit.

"Yeah, okay. That sounds good to me," he agrees. Finn grins.

"Awesome! Hey, mind if we take your car back? When my parents went home, they took the car, and I didn't bring mine."

Blaine grabs his keys out of his pocket, relieved he even remembered to bring them. They begin to walk to the car, and Blaine breaks the silence.

"Wait, you guys came to Kurt's room?"

Finn laughs.

"Yeah, you were dead asleep the whole time."

It doesn't surprise him.

* * *

><p>"I'm guessing it didn't go so well today," Julie Moore says as she hands her husband a beer. He sighs and takes a swig.<p>

"Not really."

She sits next to him, leaning against his side, and resting her hand on his knee.

"What happened?"

Her big, beautiful brown eyes are full of concern.

"Detective Jackson sent the kid into a complete mental breakdown. She tired to do memory recall, because apparently, he hasn't spoken a word since he was attacked, but it was too soon. I knew that. I should've stopped it." It's his fault, and he knows that.

"My heavens. Is he okay?"

"As far as I know. His boyfriend came in and calmed him down. It's the DA that was the real problem."

"The DA?"

"Yeah. She's not only Kurt's lawyer, but she's also his boyfriend's mother. She was furious. She threatened to get Jackson fired and sued."

Julie's eyes widen slightly.

"Oh wow."

"Yep."

There's silence for a few moments. He drinks his beer silently.

"So, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Well, they found Kurt's abandoned car last night, which led them to find the scene of the crime. We're gonna go down there tomorrow. And…and I think we should interview this Ryan Stewart guy. Jackson wants to wait for the DNA results, but I've just got a feeling about his guy. He's bad news.

"Well," she begins, "then I think you should talk to him. Trust your gut, honey."

"You think so?"

"I do. You'll regret it if you don't."

He smiles and kisses her softly.

"You always know what to say," he mumbles thoughtfully. She chuckles and pecks his lips.

"I know. You should listen to me more."

"I should."

* * *

><p>Blaine is set up in Kurt's room for the night. He got ready in his bathroom, replacing his jeans with a pair of Kurt's old sweatpants he never wears. He sits on the edge of Kurt's bed, looking around the room. He knows the stories behind all the knick knacks on Kurt's dresser, and he knows why the leg of his desk is missing a chunk of wood towards the middle. He knows the books on the selves and which ones are read the most, and everything is so overwhelmingly Kurt that his heart aches, and he wishes that he hadn't of had to leave Kurt at all.<p>

He shuts the light off and climbs into bed, burying his face into the pillows. He's simply too tired to think and too tired to cry as he slips into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

><p>Ryan Stewart wakes up on Monday morning with a splitting headache and fifteen minutes to get ready. He pulls on the jeans he'd carelessly tossed aside the night before, yanks on a shirt, and slide on his Letterman jacket. Quizzically, he reaches his hand into his pocket, feeling an extra weight there. His fingers wrap around the object and pull it out. He smirks to himself, then puts the leather bracelet back into his pocket.<p>

He supposes he could use a little courage himself.


End file.
